Compare towns
Chaplin vs Gardner vs Mansfield vs Ashford
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 affordable homes ($255k median).
Gardner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1954).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Ashford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Gardner | Mansfield | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
21,148 |
25,358Highest |
4,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
37.9±10.3 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashford and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Chaplin 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. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$334,800±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Mansfield and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,246±$208 12% below 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 | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Gardner | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Ashford School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Gardner High | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.8 |
— |
| 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.