Compare towns
Mansfield vs Lancaster vs Willington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Lancaster has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Willington has the most affordable homes ($306k 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 | Lancaster | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
8,606 |
5,575Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.5±7.2 4% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Lancaster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$91,114±$12k 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$305,800±$48kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,357±$116Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727 84% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,419Lowest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Mansfield 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Nashoba | Willington School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.