What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Columbia has the oldest population (median age 51.3).

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	Columbia
People
Population	25,358Highest	5,300Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	13.7%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2%
	Columbia and Mansfield 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%	24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	34.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT	$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average
	Columbia 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	$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Highest 14% below CT	$5,228Lowest 21% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	6.1%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	83.3%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	32 minHighest 21% above CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	21.6%±6Lowest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Columbia 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	#114 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Columbia School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
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.