What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the most people working from home (20%).

Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k median).

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	Cheshire
People
Population	23,931Highest	3,216Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA	53.7±4.5Highest 34% above MA
Kids under 18	22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	30.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	26.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Mansfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA	$69,803±$14kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA	$268,200±$48kLowest 52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,803±$147 about the MA average	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,226Highest 21% above MA	$3,005Lowest 50% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%	21.2%±24Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Mansfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1964Lowest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	4.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 282 in MA	#274 of 282 in MA
School district	Mansfield	Hoosac Valley Regional
High school in town	Mansfield High	Hoosac Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.