Compare towns
Chaplin vs Mansfield vs Sturbridge
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).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
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 | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
25,358Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% 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 | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 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. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #45 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | E. O. Smith High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.8Highest |
7.7 |
| 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.