Compare towns
Mansfield vs Colebrook vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Colebrook has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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.
| Measure | Mansfield | Colebrook | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
1,494Lowest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
52.1±5Highest 27% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.9%±3.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Colebrook and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
26%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Colebrook and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
36.6% CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$111,250±$17kHighest 16% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$342,800±$19kHighest 7% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Colebrook and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,333±$626 10% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Mansfield and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727 14% below CT |
$6,211Highest 7% below CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.1%±55 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Colebrook 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% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
34 minHighest 29% above CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
7%±3.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Colebrook School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.