Compare towns
Willimantic vs Prospect vs Mansfield vs Windham
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).
Prospect has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Prospect | Mansfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
9,458Lowest |
25,358Highest |
23,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect 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% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$355,400±$21kHighest 3% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Prospect 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 |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
| Prospect and Mansfield 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 |
$6,504Highest about the CT average |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #50 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | — | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.