Compare towns
Chaplin vs Gardner 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 highest household income ($98k).
Gardner has the most expensive homes ($302k median).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 33.7).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
21,148 |
23,961Highest |
| 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. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24k 23% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,633Highest 49% 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% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Gardner | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Gardner High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.