Compare towns
Willimantic vs Cornwall vs Mansfield vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($129k).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Norwich has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Willimantic | Cornwall | Mansfield | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
1,425Lowest |
25,358 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | — | -0.9%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
53.9±5.1Highest 31% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
38.5±1.7 6% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
14.9%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Norwich and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
29.4%±2.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.9%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
59.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
23.1%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$128,864±$34kHighest 35% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$65,024±$5k 32% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$554,600±$106kHighest 51% above CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$242,300±$11k 34% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$1,047±$121Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,253±$68 16% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$5,792Highest 13% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$4,703 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
46.8%±31.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
56.2%±7.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
8.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
16.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
53.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1959 8 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1957 10 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
30 minHighest 13% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
32.4%±13.6Highest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3 CT: 16% |
7.2%±2 CT: 16% |
| Cornwall and Mansfield 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 | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Cornwall School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.