Compare towns
Chaplin vs Mansfield vs Woonsocket vs Sterling
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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Woonsocket | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
25,358 |
43,521Highest |
3,629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Chaplin and Sterling 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Sterling 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 23% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Mansfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% 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 | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | E. O. Smith High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.8 |
15.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.