Compare towns
Chaplin vs Ware vs Plainfield vs Ashford
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 homeowners (82.9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Ashford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Ware | Plainfield | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
10,048 |
15,141Highest |
4,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.9±10.3 about the U.S. average |
| Chaplin and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Ware 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Plainfield 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Chaplin 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. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$334,800±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Ashford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,246±$208 12% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Ashford 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Ashford 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Ware | Plainfield School District | Ashford School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
10.3 |
— |
| 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.