Compare towns

Chaplin vs Mansfield vs Willimantic

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%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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.

MeasureChaplinMansfieldWillimantic
People
Population
2,070Lowest
25,358Highest
18,096
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
Median age
43.7±4.8Highest
6% above CT
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
31.3±2.7
24% below CT
Kids under 18
15.7%±4.2
CT: 20.2%
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic 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%
11%±1.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.7Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25.4%
CT: 42.5%
57.9%Highest
CT: 42.5%
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
10.1%±6.2Lowest
CT: 7.1%
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
19.1%±2.1
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$97,846±$14kHighest
about the CT average
$72,393±$12k
24% below CT
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
Chaplin and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$255,200±$24k
30% below CT
$335,400±$20kHighest
9% below CT
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,473±$275
about the CT average
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% 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
$4,524Lowest
32% below CT
$5,727Highest
14% below CT
$4,678
30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.6%±27.7Lowest
CT: 52.6%
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
5.4%Lowest
CT: 10%
21.6%
CT: 10%
23.4%Highest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
CT: 66.5%
57.3%
CT: 66.5%
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Highest
12 yrs newer than CT
1976
9 yrs newer than CT
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
22% above CT
21 minLowest
22% below CT
23 min
12% below CT
Work from home
18.1%±10
CT: 16%
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
6.2%±2Lowest
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 — #45 of 149 in CT —
School district Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District —
High school in town Parish Hill High School E. O. Smith High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
7.5Lowest
11.8Highest
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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.