Compare towns
Mansfield vs Upton vs Willimantic vs Hamden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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 | Upton | Willimantic | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
8,189Lowest |
18,096 |
61,045Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
31.3±2.7 20% below U.S. |
38.7±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Hamden 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$98,306±$7k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$298,200±$9k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68 25% below U.S. |
$1,746±$50Highest 24% above U.S. |
| 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 84% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,678Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$7,784 150% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mansfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | Blackstone Valley | — | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
11.2Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.