What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% 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	Thomaston	Chaplin
People
Population	7,492Highest	2,070Lowest
Median age	41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average	43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT
	Chaplin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2%	15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Thomaston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Chaplin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest CT: 42.5%	25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1%	10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1%
	Chaplin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT	$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average
	Thomaston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,600±$23kHighest 23% below CT	$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT
	Thomaston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT	$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,915Highest 11% below CT	$4,524Lowest 32% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6%	33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Thomaston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest CT: 10%	5.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	82.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the CT average	32 minHighest 22% above CT
Work from home	7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%	18.1%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Chaplin and Thomaston 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	#106 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Thomaston School District	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Thomaston High School	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Highest	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.