Compare towns
Chaplin vs Voluntown vs Woonsocket vs Sterling
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%).
Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Voluntown | Woonsocket | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
2,604 |
43,521Highest |
3,629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Voluntown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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% |
17.6%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Woonsocket 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. |
$101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Sterling 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±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$356,100±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,166±$191 17% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Chaplin and Voluntown 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. |
$4,955Highest 59% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Voluntown 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Sterling 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 | — | #53 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Voluntown School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
— |
| 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.