What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Wallingford has the most kids (18.8% 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	Wallingford
People
Population	25,358Lowest	44,362Highest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	42.6±1.8Highest 4% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.8%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	21.2%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$104,773±$5kHighest 9% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT	$353,100±$8kHighest 4% below CT
	Wallingford and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,374±$84Lowest 8% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT	$5,963Highest 10% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	42.9%±8.9Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	5.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	72.8%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	24 minHighest 8% below CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	13.3%±2Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#108 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Wallingford School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Lyman Hall High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	10.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.