Compare towns

Willimantic vs Winchester 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 renters (65.1% rent).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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.

MeasureWillimanticWinchesterMansfield
People
Population
18,096
10,284Lowest
25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
— —
Median age
31.3±2.7
24% below CT
49.1±6.2Highest
19% above CT
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
Kids under 18
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
15.4%±2.9
CT: 20.2%
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic and Winchester 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%
27.4%±5.1Highest
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
27.8%
CT: 42.5%
57.9%Highest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1
CT: 7.1%
4.2%±1.7Lowest
CT: 7.1%
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
$66,519±$12k
31% below CT
$72,393±$12kHighest
24% below CT
Mansfield and Winchester 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
$249,500±$17k
32% below CT
$335,400±$20kHighest
9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,174±$116
21% below CT
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,678Lowest
30% below CT
$4,780
28% below CT
$5,727Highest
14% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
48.9%±15.8Lowest
CT: 52.6%
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
23.4%Highest
CT: 10%
12.8%Lowest
CT: 10%
21.6%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
65.8%Highest
CT: 66.5%
57.3%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1955
12 yrs older than CT
1976Highest
9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
12% below CT
26 minHighest
about the CT average
21 minLowest
22% below CT
Work from home
6.2%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
6.9%±2.7
CT: 16%
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #97 of 149 in CT #45 of 149 in CT
School district — Explorations District · Regional School District 07 Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town — Northwestern Regional High School E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.7Lowest
11.8Highest
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.