What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stafford has the most kids (21.5% under 18).

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.

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

Measure	Stafford	Chaplin
People
Population	11,511Highest	2,070Lowest
Median age	46.7±4.8Highest 14% above CT	43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT
	Stafford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.5%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2%	15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Stafford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±3Highest CT: 18.5%	20.9%±4.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Stafford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Highest CT: 42.5%	25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%	10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1%
	Chaplin and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,235±$16kLowest about the CT average	$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average
	Chaplin and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$263,800±$22kHighest 28% below CT	$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT
	Stafford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT	$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,131Highest 23% below CT	$4,524Lowest 32% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.5%±12.2Highest CT: 52.6%	33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Stafford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest CT: 10%	5.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%	82.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the CT average	32 minHighest 22% above CT
Work from home	11%±3.5Lowest CT: 16%	18.1%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Chaplin and Stafford 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	#96 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Stafford School District	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Stafford High School	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Highest	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.