Compare towns
Sterling vs Townsend vs Chaplin
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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Sterling | Townsend | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629 |
9,100Highest |
2,070Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Sterling 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Sterling School District | North Middlesex | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
7.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.