Compare towns
Willimantic vs Norwalk 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).
Norwalk has the most expensive homes ($558k median).
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 | Norwalk | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Lowest |
92,187Highest |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+6.5%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
40.6±1Highest about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.8%±1.2 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Norwalk 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% |
17%±1Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$107,616±$7kHighest 12% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$7,817Highest 18% above CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
9.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
55.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.1%±1.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #112 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Norwalk School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Brien McMahon High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| 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.