Compare towns
Hamden vs Brooklyn vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
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 | Hamden | Brooklyn | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
8,517 |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Brooklyn and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Hamden and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
| Hamden and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$315,200±$28kHighest 14% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
| Brooklyn and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
| Hamden and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784Highest 17% above CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Hamden and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Hamden 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 | #122 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Brooklyn School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | None in town | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 7.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.