Compare towns
Willimantic vs Middlebury vs Brooklyn vs Mansfield
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 affordable homes ($191k median).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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.
| Measure | Willimantic | Middlebury | Brooklyn | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
7,807Lowest |
8,517 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
44.4±2.3 8% above CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Brooklyn and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22%±3.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Middlebury 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% |
22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
53.3% CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±2.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$133,487±$26kHighest 39% above CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Middlebury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$476,400±$23kHighest 30% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$1,125±$98 24% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$8,434Highest 27% above CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
5.8% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #55 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Regional School District 15 | Brooklyn School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.8 |
| 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.