Compare towns
Baltic vs Thompson vs Chaplin vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baltic has the most renters (62.2% rent).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
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 | Baltic | Thompson | Chaplin | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,157Lowest |
9,337Highest |
2,070 |
2,604 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 37.8±15.8Lowest 8% below CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
48.3±1.7 18% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±10.8 CT: 20.2% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Voluntown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±5.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±3 CT: 18.5% |
| Thompson and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
21.9% CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
26.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,958±$47kLowest 28% below CT |
$93,629±$18k about the CT average |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$101,964±$25kHighest 6% above CT |
| Voluntown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,200±$27kLowest 47% below CT |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$356,100±$16kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$141 16% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,166±$191 22% below CT |
| Chaplin and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,799Lowest 43% below CT |
$3,822 42% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$4,955Highest 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.3%±13.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Thompson and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest CT: 10% |
5.9% CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
7.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
84.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1963 4 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1983Highest 16 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above CT |
32 min 20% above CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
31 min 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±4.6Lowest CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
8.9%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Thompson 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 | — | #130 of 149 in CT | — | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Thompson School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | — | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Parish Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9Highest |
7.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.