Compare towns
Mansfield vs Willimantic vs Woonsocket vs Manchester
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 most people working from home (28.3%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Manchester has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Willimantic | Woonsocket | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
18,096Lowest |
43,521 |
59,635Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7 20% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
37±1.2Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Manchester and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Manchester and Woonsocket 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% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$86,840±$4kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Manchester and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$247,100±$6k 26% below U.S. |
| Mansfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,519±$66 8% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,652 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.1%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #135 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | — | Woonsocket High School | Manchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.