Compare towns
Chaplin vs Orange vs Plainfield vs Mansfield
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 affordable homes ($255k median).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Orange | Plainfield | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
14,315 |
15,141 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Orange 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 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Chaplin 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% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524 32% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest 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 | — | #38 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | — | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | — | Plainfield High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 10.3 |
11.8Highest |
| 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.