What stands out worked out from the figures below

Vernon has the oldest population (median age 39.4).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

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	Vernon	Mansfield
People
Population	30,577Highest	25,358Lowest
Median age	39.4±2.5Highest 4% below CT	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT
Kids under 18	16.9%±2Highest CT: 20.2%	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38%Lowest CT: 42.5%	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,356±$6kHighest 11% below CT	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT
	Vernon and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$275,500±$11kLowest 25% below CT	$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$77Lowest 4% below CT	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT
	Mansfield and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,804Highest 13% below CT	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.3%±5.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	13.4%Lowest CT: 10%	21.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	57.3%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	21 minLowest 22% below CT
Work from home	13.4%±2.5Lowest CT: 16%	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 149 in CT	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Vernon School District	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Rockville High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.8Lowest
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.