Compare towns
Windham vs Suffield vs Bethany 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).
Suffield has the oldest population (median age 44.5).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Suffield | Bethany | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
15,702 |
5,288Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Suffield and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Bethany 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 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Suffield and Bethany 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% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Bethany and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
— | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Mansfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Suffield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Suffield High School | None in town | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.9 |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.