Compare towns
Plainfield vs Willimantic vs Mansfield vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Canterbury has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Willimantic | Mansfield | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
18,096 |
25,358Highest |
5,124Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37±4.5 10% below CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
48.4±4.5Highest 18% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15%±3.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
26.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$103,198±$6kHighest 8% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$334,200±$12k 9% below CT |
| Mansfield and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$924±$367Lowest 38% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,140Lowest 38% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40%±13 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
88.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
23 min 12% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
14.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | — | #45 of 149 in CT | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| 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.