Compare towns
Windham vs Bethany vs Norwich vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Norwich has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Windham | Bethany | Norwich | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
5,288Lowest |
39,973Highest |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT |
38.5±1.7 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Bethany and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Norwich and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.9%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bethany and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.1% CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$65,024±$5k 32% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$242,300±$11k 34% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
— | $1,253±$68 16% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$4,703 29% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
56.2%±7.2 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
16.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
53.8% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1957 10 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
7.2%±2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #133 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Norwich Free Academy | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
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.