Compare towns
Windham vs Lancaster vs Sutton 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
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Sutton 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Nashoba | Sutton | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Sutton High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
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.