Compare towns

Mansfield vs Suffield vs Manchester

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%).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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.

MeasureMansfieldSuffieldManchester
People
Population
25,358
15,702Lowest
59,635Highest
Median age
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
44.5±1.7Highest
8% above CT
37±1.2
10% below CT
Kids under 18
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
16.2%±2
CT: 20.2%
20%±1.6Highest
CT: 20.2%
Age 65+
11%±1.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
18.4%±2.2Highest
CT: 18.5%
15.5%±1.2
CT: 18.5%
Suffield and Manchester 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%
40.4%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
40.5%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
CT: 7.1%
5.5%±0.7
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,393±$12kLowest
24% below CT
$119,472±$13kHighest
25% above CT
$86,840±$4k
9% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,400±$20k
9% below CT
$407,500±$26kHighest
11% above CT
$247,100±$6kLowest
33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
$1,424±$141Lowest
4% below CT
$1,519±$66
about the CT average
Mansfield and Manchester 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
$6,456Highest
about the CT average
$5,652Lowest
15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
51%±4.6
CT: 52.6%
48.1%±6.1Lowest
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
21.6%Highest
CT: 10%
4.6%Lowest
CT: 10%
10.8%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
57.3%
CT: 66.5%
86.7%Highest
CT: 66.5%
56.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
9 yrs newer than CT
1979Highest
12 yrs newer than CT
1962Lowest
5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 minLowest
22% below CT
26 minHighest
3% below CT
23 min
15% below CT
Work from home
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
18.4%±4.1
CT: 16%
14.3%±1.9Lowest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 149 in CT #57 of 149 in CT #135 of 149 in CT
School district Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District Suffield School District Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town E. O. Smith High School Suffield High School Manchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.8Highest
10.9Lowest
11.1
On TownTapestry
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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.