Compare towns
Windham vs Bristol 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).
Bristol has the most homeowners (64.9%).
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 | Bristol | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961Lowest |
61,462Highest |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
37.9±1.5Highest 8% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bristol and Windham 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% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$79,076±$6kHighest 17% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Bristol and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,338±$45 10% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
10.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
64.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Bristol School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Bristol Central High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
14.0Highest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.