What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Washington has the oldest population (median age 49.9).

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	Washington
People
Population	25,358Highest	3,676Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	49.9±5.5Highest 21% above CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	19%±4.7Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.9%±5.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	53.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	6.4%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$101,549±$16kHighest 6% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT	$660,200±$130kHighest 80% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT	$1,204±$264Lowest 19% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Highest 14% below CT	$4,709Lowest 29% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	26.1%±24Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest CT: 10%	9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	79%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	26 minHighest 4% below CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	20.1%±9Lowest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Washington 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	#17 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Regional School District 12
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Shepaug Valley School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.1Lowest
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.