Compare towns
Chaplin vs Sterling vs Windsor 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).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Windsor has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Sterling | Windsor | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
3,629 |
29,468Highest |
25,358 |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
43.7±1.9Highest 6% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Windsor 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% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
20%±2 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Windsor 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% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
43.2% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$104,725±$8kHighest 9% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
| Windsor and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
| Mansfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Lowest about the CT average |
— | $1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
| Windsor and Mansfield 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 |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$5,351 19% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
6.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
82.4% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
21 min 19% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 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 | — | #119 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Sterling School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town | Windsor High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 10.2 |
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.