What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).

Durham has the most expensive homes ($425k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chaplin	Durham
People
Population	2,070Lowest	7,208Highest
Median age	43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT
	Durham and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2%	16.4%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Durham 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 CT: 18.5%	17.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Chaplin and Durham 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%	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1%	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Chaplin and Durham 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	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT
	Chaplin and Durham 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	$7,998Highest 20% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Durham and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest CT: 10%	3.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 22% above CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	18.1%±10Lowest CT: 16%	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%
	Durham 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	—	#88 of 149 in CT
School district	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11	Regional School District 13
High school in town	Parish Hill High School	Coginchaug Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.5Lowest	8.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.