Compare towns
Windham vs Brookfield vs Mansfield vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Norwich has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Brookfield | Mansfield | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
3,460Lowest |
25,358 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
38.5±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$81,250±$37kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$65,024±$5k 19% below U.S. |
| Brookfield 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 37% below U.S. |
$341,900±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$5,092 63% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #109 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Brookfield | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.8 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.