Compare towns
Chaplin vs Wakefield vs Voluntown
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).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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 | Wakefield | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
27,793Highest |
2,604 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
| 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% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Voluntown 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%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$356,100±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,166±$191Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,955 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Voluntown 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| 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.