Compare towns
Chaplin vs Mansfield vs Putnam vs Ashford
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%).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Putnam has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
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 | Mansfield | Putnam | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
25,358Highest |
9,292 |
4,226 |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
43.7±3Highest 6% above CT |
37.9±10.3 8% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±5.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Ashford 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
18.9%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
35.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
| 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 30% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$334,800±$18k 9% below CT |
| 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 about the CT average |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,246±$208 16% below CT |
| 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 32% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,982Highest 5% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
76.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
34 minHighest 30% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
19.3%±5.5 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #45 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Putnam School District | Ashford School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | E. O. Smith High School | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.8Highest |
9.5 |
— |
| 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.