What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sandy Hook has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

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	Sandy Hook	Mansfield
People
Population	9,863Lowest	25,358Highest
Median age	43.1±3Highest 5% above CT	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT
Kids under 18	22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2%	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	14.4%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Sandy Hook and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	57.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1%	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT	$1,602±$104Lowest 8% above CT
	Sandy Hook and Mansfield 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	52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6%	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Mansfield and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest CT: 10%	21.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above CT	21 minLowest 22% below CT
Work from home	23.1%±4.4Lowest CT: 16%	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	—	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
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.