Compare towns
Willimantic vs Providence vs Windham vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Providence has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Windham has the oldest population (median age 33.7).
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 | Providence | Windham | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096Lowest |
191,767Highest |
23,961 |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7 20% below U.S. |
32.8±0.5 16% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9Highest 13% below U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Windham and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Willimantic and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3k 16% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5k 31% below U.S. |
$72,393±$12kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Mansfield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$209,800±$9k 37% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Providence 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 25% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
$1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #36 of 38 in RI | #143 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Classical High School | Windham High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.