Compare towns
Chaplin vs Ledyard vs Preston 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 affordable homes ($255k median).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
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.
| Measure | Chaplin | Ledyard | Preston | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
15,433 |
4,821 |
25,358Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
37.1±1.4 10% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Preston 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 CT: 20.2% |
27.5%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston 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%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$107,975±$10k 13% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
| Preston and Ledyard 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 |
$326,200±$27k 11% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Preston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,629±$247Highest 9% above CT |
$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
| Ledyard 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 |
$6,371Highest 4% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±27 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% CT: 66.5% |
82.7% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 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 | — | #99 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Ledyard School District | Preston School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Ledyard High School | None in town | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.5 |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.