What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Sturbridge has the most kids (20.7% under 18).

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	Sturbridge
People
Population	25,358Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.	47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S.
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.	$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average	$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.	$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Mansfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Lowest 84% above U.S.	$6,520Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.	38 minHighest 43% above U.S.
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.