What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Norfolk has the oldest population (median age 48.2).

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	Norfolk
People
Population	25,358Highest	1,723Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	48.2±7.4Highest 17% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	15.8%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	28.8%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	48.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	2.1%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$91,548±$16kHighest 4% below CT
	Norfolk 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±$20kLowest 9% below CT	$430,900±$54kHighest 17% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,190±$116Lowest 20% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT	$6,065Highest 9% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	27.3%±17Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	7.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	27 minHighest 3% above CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	23.3%±4.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Norfolk 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	—
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Norfolk 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.