What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).

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	Putnam
People
Population	25,358Highest	9,292Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kHighest 24% below CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
	Mansfield and Putnam 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	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Highest 14% below CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	11.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.5Lowest
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.