Compare towns
Chaplin vs Columbia vs Middlefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Columbia has the highest household income ($127k).
Middlefield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Columbia | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
5,300Highest |
4,243 |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Chaplin and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia 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 CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
| Columbia and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
$376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$3,501Highest 135% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
$6,853Highest 3% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
8.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
10.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Chaplin 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 | — | #114 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Columbia School District | Regional School District 13 |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.