Compare towns
Meriden vs Chaplin vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Berlin has the most expensive homes ($375k 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 | Meriden | Chaplin | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
2,070Lowest |
20,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
48.7±3Highest 18% above CT |
| Berlin and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Meriden and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Berlin and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
44.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
7.2%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$113,598±$11kHighest 19% above CT |
| Berlin and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$374,600±$13kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,402±$88 6% below CT |
| Chaplin and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129 23% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$7,291Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.4%±11.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
3.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 21% below CT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
14.4%±4.6 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Berlin 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 | #124 of 149 in CT | — | #73 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Berlin School District |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Parish Hill High School | Berlin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
7.5Lowest |
11.5 |
| 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.