Compare towns
Chaplin vs Sturbridge 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).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
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 | Sturbridge | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
9,960 |
25,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Chaplin 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above 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 | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #89 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
7.7 |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.