Compare towns
Thompson vs Chapman vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thompson has the most people working from home (13.1%).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Stafford has the most renters (20.5% rent).
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 | Thompson | Chapman | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,337 |
388Lowest |
11,511Highest |
| Median age | 54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4Lowest 17% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chapman and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chapman and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $291,900±$24kHighest 12% below U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$263,800±$22k 21% below U.S. |
| Thompson and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,086±$85Highest 23% below U.S. |
| Stafford and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822 23% above U.S. |
$1,850Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$5,131Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | — | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Thompson School District | — | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.9Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
| 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.