Compare towns
Windham vs Sutton vs Lancaster 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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Sutton | Lancaster | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
9,452 |
8,606Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 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% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest 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% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% 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. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% 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. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sutton | Nashoba | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Sutton High School | None in town | 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.