Compare towns
Mansfield vs Putnam vs Plainville
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%).
Putnam has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Putnam | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
9,292Lowest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Plainville 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% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Putnam 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% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT |
| Plainville 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±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
25 minHighest 6% below CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Putnam School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | Putnam High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.5Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.