Compare towns
Colebrook vs Chaplin vs Plainville vs Norfolk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
Chaplin has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Colebrook | Chaplin | Plainville | Norfolk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
2,070 |
17,551Highest |
1,723 |
| Median age | 52.1±5Highest 27% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
48.2±7.4 17% above CT |
| Colebrook and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±3.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.8%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Colebrook and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
28.8%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Norfolk and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
48.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$17kHighest 16% above CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$91,548±$16k 4% below CT |
| Colebrook and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$19k 7% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$430,900±$54kHighest 17% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$626 10% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,190±$116 20% below CT |
| Chaplin and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,211Highest 7% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
$6,065 9% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±55Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
27.3%±17Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Colebrook and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
7.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 7 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above CT |
32 min 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
27 min 3% above CT |
| Work from home | 7%±3.8Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
23.3%±4.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Norfolk 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 | — | — | #89 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Colebrook School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Norfolk School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
CT 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.