Compare towns
Mansfield vs Killingly vs Sterling vs Willimantic
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%).
Killingly has the oldest population (median age 39.5).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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 | Killingly | Sterling | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
39.5±3Highest 4% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
| Killingly and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Willimantic 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% |
19.7%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Sterling and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
— | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6% CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | — |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | Killingly High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.