Compare towns
Chaplin vs Ayer 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
Chaplin has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Ayer has the most expensive homes ($445k median).
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 | Chaplin | Ayer | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
3,098 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17k 7% below U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,911 57% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mansfield and Ayer 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 | — | #113 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | — | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | — | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.