Compare towns

Chaplin vs Hamden 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 homeowners (82.9%).
Hamden has the most kids (17% 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.

MeasureChaplinHamdenMansfield
People
Population
2,070Lowest
61,045Highest
25,358
Median age
43.7±4.8Highest
6% above CT
38.7±0.9
6% below CT
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
Chaplin and Hamden 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%
17%±1.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
Hamden 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%
18.1%±1.3
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Chaplin and Hamden 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%
47.8%
CT: 42.5%
57.9%Highest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
10.1%±6.2Lowest
CT: 7.1%
15%±1.1
CT: 7.1%
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$97,846±$14k
about the CT average
$98,306±$7kHighest
about the CT average
$72,393±$12kLowest
24% below CT
Hamden 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
30% below CT
$298,200±$9k
19% below CT
$335,400±$20kHighest
9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,473±$275Lowest
about the CT average
$1,746±$50Highest
17% above CT
$1,602±$104
8% above CT
Hamden and Mansfield 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
$7,784Highest
17% above CT
$5,727
14% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.6%±27.7Lowest
CT: 52.6%
50.9%±5.4
CT: 52.6%
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
5.4%Lowest
CT: 10%
9.3%
CT: 10%
21.6%Highest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
CT: 66.5%
62.4%
CT: 66.5%
57.3%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Highest
12 yrs newer than CT
1964Lowest
3 yrs older than CT
1976
9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
22% above CT
22 min
18% below CT
21 minLowest
22% below CT
Work from home
18.1%±10
CT: 16%
16.3%±2.1Lowest
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 — #122 of 149 in CT #45 of 149 in CT
School district Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town Parish Hill High School Hamden High School E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school
7.5Lowest
13.5Highest
11.8
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.