Compare towns
Lisbon vs Mendon vs Sterling vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Sterling has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Lisbon | Mendon | Sterling | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,211 |
6,325Highest |
3,629 |
2,070Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
| Lisbon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lisbon and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,473±$275Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Mendon 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #210 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Mendon-Upton | Sterling School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.5 |
| 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.