Compare towns
Chaplin vs Dedham vs Mansfield vs Windham
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%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Dedham | Mansfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
25,237 |
25,358Highest |
23,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
| Dedham 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24k 23% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Dedham | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Dedham High | E. O. Smith High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
10.4 |
11.8Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.