Compare towns
Chaplin vs Crystal Lake vs Mansfield
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).
Crystal Lake has the most kids (24.5% under 18).
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 | Chaplin | Crystal Lake | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070 |
2,024Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.6% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
48.9±7.6Highest 19% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Crystal Lake and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Crystal Lake and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
23.3%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Crystal Lake and Chaplin 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% |
45.9% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±3.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$143,882±$29kHighest 50% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$361,800±$35kHighest about the CT average |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Crystal Lake and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Lowest about the CT average |
— | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| 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 32% below CT |
$7,146Highest 8% above CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
1.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% CT: 66.5% |
91.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above CT |
39 minHighest 47% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
17.5%±10Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Mansfield 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 | — | — | #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 |
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.