Compare towns

Chaplin vs Northbridge vs Windham vs Voluntown

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 people working from home (18.1%).
Northbridge has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).

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.

MeasureChaplinNorthbridgeWindhamVoluntown
People
Population
2,070Lowest
16,458
23,961Highest
2,604
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+4%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
43.7±4.8
12% above U.S.
43.8±2.6
13% above U.S.
33.7±1.9Lowest
13% below U.S.
48.3±1.7Highest
24% above U.S.
Kids under 18
15.7%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.1%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
16.4%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
Northbridge and Windham 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%
16.4%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
14.3%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
Chaplin and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
10.1%±6.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
15.2%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Windham and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$97,846±$14k
21% above U.S.
$111,319±$19kHighest
38% above U.S.
$55,736±$5kLowest
31% below U.S.
$101,964±$25k
26% above U.S.
Northbridge and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$255,200±$24k
23% below U.S.
$448,600±$15kHighest
35% above U.S.
$209,800±$9kLowest
37% below U.S.
$356,100±$16k
7% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,473±$275Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,207±$102
15% below U.S.
$1,107±$69Lowest
22% below U.S.
$1,166±$191
17% below U.S.
Chaplin and Northbridge 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.
$4,821
55% above U.S.
$4,633
49% above U.S.
$4,955Highest
59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.6%±27.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
51.2%±9.8
U.S.: 51.1%
57.1%±8.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±24.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Windham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
20.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
70.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
47.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
1956Lowest
24 yrs older than U.S.
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
31 min
19% above U.S.
Work from home
18.1%±10Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
6.1%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.9%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Chaplin and Northbridge 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 — #226 of 282 in MA #143 of 149 in CT #53 of 149 in CT
School district Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Northbridge Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Voluntown School District
High school in town Parish Hill High School Northbridge High Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
7.5Lowest
10.8Highest
9.8
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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.