Compare towns
Prospect vs Mansfield vs Windham vs Naugatuck
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 most people working from home (28.3%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Windham | Naugatuck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
25,358 |
23,961 |
31,800Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -1.1% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
39.8±2.4 3% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
15.6%±2 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
32.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
7.8%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$96,324±$9k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21kHighest 3% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$259,100±$13k 29% below CT |
| Prospect and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,369±$58 8% 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 | $6,504Highest about the CT average |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,362 4% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
42.2%±9.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
6.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
33 minHighest 26% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
15%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #116 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Naugatuck School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Windham High School | Naugatuck High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
9.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.