Compare towns

Windham vs Rowley 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).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
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.

MeasureWindhamRowleyMansfieldNorwich
People
Population
23,961
6,251Lowest
25,358
39,973Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
-0.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
33.7±1.9
13% below U.S.
50±6.3Highest
29% 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%
19.3%±4.5
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%
21.6%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.9%±1.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Rowley 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
U.S.: 35.7%
56.8%
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%
4.8%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
57%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$55,736±$5kLowest
31% below U.S.
$132,734±$32kHighest
64% above U.S.
$72,393±$12k
10% below U.S.
$65,024±$5k
19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$209,800±$9kLowest
37% below U.S.
$667,300±$52kHighest
101% above U.S.
$335,400±$20k
about the U.S. average
$242,300±$11k
27% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,107±$69Lowest
22% below U.S.
$1,603±$520Highest
13% above U.S.
$1,602±$104
13% above U.S.
$1,253±$68
11% below U.S.
Rowley and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,633Lowest
49% above U.S.
$8,309Highest
166% above U.S.
$5,727
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%
57.7%±27.3
U.S.: 51.1%
76%±9.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.2%±7.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Mansfield and Rowley 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%
3.1%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%
81.7%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.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
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.
28 minHighest
7% 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%
11.1%±4
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 #214 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 Triton 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.