Compare towns
Vernon vs Mansfield vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vernon has the highest household income ($85k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
West Haven has the most kids (20.3% 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 | Vernon | Mansfield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,577 |
25,358Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.5Highest 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
35.8±1.5 13% below CT |
| Vernon and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| West Haven and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Vernon and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,356±$6kHighest 11% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$74,382±$5k 22% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,500±$11kLowest 25% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$77Lowest 4% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,442±$43 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,804 13% below CT |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.3%±5.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
14.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.2% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
23 min 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.4%±2.5 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #107 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Vernon School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Rockville High School | E. O. Smith High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.8Lowest |
15.6Highest |
| 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.