Compare towns
Mansfield vs Sterling vs Windham 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%).
Sterling has the most homeowners (81.1%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Sterling | Windham | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
3,629Lowest |
23,961 |
61,045Highest |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
39.4±5.9Highest 4% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
| Sterling and Hamden 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Windham 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% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
22.7% CT: 42.5% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
| Sterling and Hamden 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 |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 8% above CT |
— | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
| 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 14% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
$7,784Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
9.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
22 min 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Windham High School | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
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.