What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most kids (19.6% under 18).

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	Webster	Mansfield
People
Population	17,748Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.9±2.9Highest about the U.S. average	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kHighest 10% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
	Webster and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
	Webster and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	12.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Webster	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Bartlett High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.