Compare towns
Mansfield vs Sterling vs Coventry vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Coventry has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
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 | Mansfield | Sterling | Coventry | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
3,629 |
12,326 |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
45.4±3.8Highest 10% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Coventry and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±3.2 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
20.2%±3.3 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
45% CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±2 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$108,213±$5kHighest 13% above CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$330,000±$23k 10% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
| Mansfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
— | $1,232±$330Lowest 17% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
| Mansfield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$5,284 20% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
62.7%±23.8 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
5.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1966Lowest 1 yr older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 min 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±4.6 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
| 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 | #45 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #41 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Sterling School District | Coventry School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Coventry High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
— | 9.9 |
7.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.