Compare towns
Chaplin vs Woonsocket vs Sterling 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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Woonsocket | Sterling | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
43,521Highest |
3,629 |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Sterling 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest 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% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
| Sterling 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. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Mansfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% 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 | $4,524 45% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mansfield 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sterling School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— | 11.8 |
| 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.