What stands out worked out from the figures below

Monroe has the most kids (25.2% under 18).

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

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	Monroe	Mansfield
People
Population	18,949Lowest	25,358Highest
Median age	43.5±2.2Highest 6% above CT	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT
Kids under 18	25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2%	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	15.6%±2Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$994±$860Lowest 33% below CT	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT
	Mansfield and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±46.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Mansfield and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.6%Lowest CT: 10%	21.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 29% above CT	21 minLowest 22% below CT
Work from home	15.4%±3.3Lowest CT: 16%	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 149 in CT	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Monroe School District	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Masuk High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.8Lowest
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.