Compare towns
Prospect vs Mansfield vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Cheshire has the most expensive homes ($440k median).
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 | Prospect | Mansfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
25,358 |
29,040Highest |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
| Prospect and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
| Cheshire and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT |
$440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
| Prospect and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504 about the CT average |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.