Compare towns
Chaplin vs Ware vs Webster 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 people working from home (18.1%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Ware | Webster | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
10,048 |
12,228Highest |
2,604 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3 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% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Webster 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$101,964±$25kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Voluntown 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. |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$356,100±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Voluntown and Webster 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. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,166±$191 17% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Webster 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. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,955Highest 59% 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% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Webster 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Ware 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Ware | — | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.