Compare towns
Sprague vs Mansfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sprague has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Sprague | Mansfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,962Lowest |
25,358Highest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 48.5±10.7Highest 18% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
| Sprague and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.4 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Sprague and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,850±$11kHighest 3% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Sprague and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,500±$17k 25% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$144 16% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,668 30% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±12.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #141 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sprague School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.