Compare towns
Chaplin vs Scituate vs Franklin vs Mansfield
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).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | Scituate | Franklin | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070 |
10,517 |
2,004Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Scituate 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% |
14.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$105,000±$10k 30% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Franklin 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. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Scituate 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. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
$3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest 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 | — | #17 of 38 in RI | — | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Scituate | Franklin School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Scituate High School | None in town | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
10.8 |
— | 11.8Highest |
| 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.