Compare towns
Mansfield vs Prospect vs Suffield vs Hamden
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%).
Prospect has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Hamden has the most affordable homes ($298k 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 | Prospect | Suffield | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
9,458Lowest |
15,702 |
61,045Highest |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
| Prospect and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Hamden 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% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Suffield 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 CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
| Prospect and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT |
$1,746±$50 17% above CT |
| Prospect and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$7,784Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
9.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
22 min 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Regional School District 16 | Suffield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Suffield High School | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.