Compare towns
Middlefield vs Chaplin vs Beacon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Beacon Falls has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Middlefield | Chaplin | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,243 |
2,070Lowest |
6,147Highest |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
$101,516±$42kHighest 6% above CT |
| Beacon Falls and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,473±$275Lowest about the CT average |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$6,534 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
32 min 22% above CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | — | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.