What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Manchester has the most kids (20% 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	Manchester
People
Population	25,358Lowest	59,635Highest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	37±1.2Highest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	15.5%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$86,840±$4kHighest 9% below CT
	Manchester and Mansfield 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	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,519±$66Lowest about the CT average
	Mansfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Highest 14% below CT	$5,652Lowest 15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	48.1%±6.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	10.8%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Highest CT: 66.5%	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	23 minHighest 15% below CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#135 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Manchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	11.1Lowest
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.