Compare towns
Windham vs Putnam 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).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Putnam | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961 |
7,120Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
41.2±5.1Highest about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.9%±4.3 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windham and Putnam 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%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Putnam 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% CT: 42.5% |
18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$65,511±$7k 32% below CT |
$72,393±$12kHighest 24% below CT |
| Mansfield and Putnam 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 |
$245,100±$13k 33% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,147±$43 23% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633 30% below CT |
$3,564Lowest 46% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
11.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
50.7% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
25 minHighest 5% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
6.7%±2.7 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 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.