Compare towns
Mansfield vs Pawtucket vs Willimantic vs Hamden
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 most people working from home (28.3%).
Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Hamden has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Pawtucket | Willimantic | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
75,893Highest |
18,096Lowest |
61,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7 20% below U.S. |
38.7±0.9Highest about the U.S. average |
| Hamden and Pawtucket 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% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Willimantic 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% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$98,306±$7kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$298,200±$9k 10% below U.S. |
| Mansfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,746±$50Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Hamden and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727 84% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$7,784Highest 150% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #35 of 38 in RI | — | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | William E. Tolman High | — | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.