Compare towns
Willimantic vs Preston vs Mansfield vs Groton
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).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Groton has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Preston | Mansfield | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
4,821Lowest |
25,358Highest |
9,490 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | — | -9.6%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
39±3.7 5% below CT |
| Preston and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±3.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Preston 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% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
38.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$79,577±$8k 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$306,600±$26k 16% below CT |
| Preston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,250±$98 16% below CT |
| Mansfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,411Lowest 34% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
46.5%±11.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
18.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
45.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 12% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 min 22% below CT |
18 minLowest 34% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
4.8%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #93 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Preston School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | — |
| High school 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.