Compare towns
Plainfield vs Mansfield vs Willimantic vs Wauregan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Wauregan has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
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 | Plainfield | Mansfield | Willimantic | Wauregan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
25,358Highest |
18,096 |
1,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+27.7%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Highest 10% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
32±5.9 22% below CT |
| Plainfield and Wauregan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
25.6%±9.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Wauregan and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
18.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
3.1%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$79,545±$18kHighest 17% below CT |
| Wauregan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$262,700±$15k 28% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,254±$476 16% below CT |
| Mansfield and Wauregan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$3,649Lowest 45% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
60.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
6.8%±7.6 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | E. O. Smith High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.