What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

Chaplin has the most homeowners (82.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middletown	Chaplin
People
Population	47,958Highest	2,070Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT	43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT
	Chaplin and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	15.7%±4.2Highest CT: 20.2%
	Chaplin and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Chaplin and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	10.1%±6.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Middletown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average
	Chaplin and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$11kHighest 20% below CT	$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,446±$45Lowest about the CT average	$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average
	Chaplin and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,412Highest 3% below CT	$4,524Lowest 32% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.7%±5.3Highest CT: 52.6%	33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Middletown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12%Highest CT: 10%	5.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	82.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	32 minHighest 22% above CT
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%	18.1%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Chaplin and Middletown 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	#121 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Middletown High School	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	7.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.