Compare towns
Windham vs Wauregan vs Willimantic 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 oldest population (median age 33.7).
Wauregan has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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 | Wauregan | Willimantic | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
1,049Lowest |
18,096 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +27.7%Highest CT: +0.9% |
+2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Highest 18% below CT |
32±5.9 22% below CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Windham and Wauregan 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% |
25.6%±9.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Wauregan and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
| Windham and Willimantic 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% |
18.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.1%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
$79,545±$18kHighest 17% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Wauregan and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
$262,700±$15k 28% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$1,254±$476 16% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Mansfield and Wauregan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633 30% below CT |
$3,649Lowest 45% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4% CT: 66.5% |
60.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 11 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
6.8%±7.6 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 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 | 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.