Compare towns
Mansfield vs Wallingford vs Willington
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%).
Wallingford has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Willington has the most affordable homes ($306k 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 | Wallingford | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358 |
44,362Highest |
5,575Lowest |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
42.6±1.8Highest 4% above CT |
37.5±7.2 9% below CT |
| Wallingford and Willington 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% |
18.8%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
12.8%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Wallingford and Willington 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% |
21.2%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
23.3%±6.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Willington and Wallingford 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% CT: 42.5% |
33.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
14.6%±6.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$104,773±$5kHighest 9% above CT |
$91,114±$12k 5% below CT |
| Wallingford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$353,100±$8kHighest 4% below CT |
$305,800±$48kLowest 17% 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±$84 8% below CT |
$1,357±$116Lowest 9% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727 14% below CT |
$5,963Highest 10% below CT |
$5,419Lowest 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±8.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
70%±20.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
13% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
72.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
64% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
13.3%±2 CT: 16% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #108 of 149 in CT | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Wallingford School District | Willington School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | Lyman Hall High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
10.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.