Compare towns
Sprague vs Middlefield vs Plainfield vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sprague has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Middlefield has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Sprague | Middlefield | Plainfield | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,962 |
4,243 |
15,141Highest |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 48.5±10.7 18% above CT |
51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Middlefield and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.4 CT: 20.2% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield 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% CT: 42.5% |
41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest 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 | $92,850±$11k 3% below CT |
$99,837±$20kHighest 4% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,500±$17k 25% below CT |
$376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$144 16% below CT |
$3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,668 30% below CT |
$6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±12.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
8.1% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above CT |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Middlefield 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 | #141 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Sprague School District | Regional School District 13 | Plainfield School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Highest |
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.