Compare towns
Sterling vs Mansfield vs Chaplin vs Coventry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Coventry has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sterling | Mansfield | Chaplin | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
25,358 |
2,070Lowest |
35,907Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$356,200±$11kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Mansfield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mansfield 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | — | #24 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Coventry |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Parish Hill High School | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
7.5Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.