What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Canton has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mansfield	Canton
People
Population	25,358Highest	10,144Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	45.3±5.2Highest 10% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.6%±4Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	23.5%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	57.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	2.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$117,991±$20kHighest 23% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT	$395,300±$24kHighest 8% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,403±$358Lowest 6% below CT
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT	$7,232Highest 9% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	59.9%±28.9Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	5.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	83.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976 9 yrs newer than CT	1976 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	29 minHighest 9% above CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	24.8%±6.1Lowest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#22 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Canton School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Canton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.