Compare towns
Mansfield vs Preston 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%).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Preston | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
4,821Lowest |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Preston 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% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Preston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
| Mansfield and Preston 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 |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
23 minHighest 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Preston 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 | 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.