Compare towns

Voluntown vs Plainfield vs Chaplin vs Griswold

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Griswold has the most renters (26.7% 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.

MeasureVoluntownPlainfieldChaplinGriswold
People
Population
2,604
15,141Highest
2,070Lowest
11,530
Median age
48.3±1.7Highest
18% above CT
37±4.5Lowest
10% below CT
43.7±4.8
6% above CT
48.1±3.9
17% above CT
Voluntown and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.4%±3.5
CT: 20.2%
19.4%±2.6Highest
CT: 20.2%
15.7%±4.2Lowest
CT: 20.2%
18.5%±3.7
CT: 20.2%
Plainfield and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±3
CT: 18.5%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
CT: 18.5%
20.9%±4.4Highest
CT: 18.5%
17.8%±3.5
CT: 18.5%
Chaplin and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
26.7%Highest
CT: 42.5%
15%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
25.4%
CT: 42.5%
19.9%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.6
CT: 7.1%
5.6%±1.8
CT: 7.1%
10.1%±6.2Highest
CT: 7.1%
1.8%±1.1Lowest
CT: 7.1%
Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,964±$25kHighest
6% above CT
$76,993±$8kLowest
20% below CT
$97,846±$14k
about the CT average
$78,719±$11k
18% below CT
Voluntown and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$356,100±$16kHighest
about the CT average
$272,100±$16k
26% below CT
$255,200±$24kLowest
30% below CT
$275,900±$42k
25% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,166±$191Lowest
22% below CT
$1,204±$70
19% below CT
$1,473±$275Highest
about the CT average
$1,177±$65
21% below CT
Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,955Highest
25% below CT
$4,209Lowest
37% below CT
$4,524
32% below CT
$4,628
30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±24.3
CT: 52.6%
39.8%±9.5
CT: 52.6%
33.6%±27.7Lowest
CT: 52.6%
57.5%±15.5Highest
CT: 52.6%
Griswold and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.3%
CT: 10%
8.7%Highest
CT: 10%
5.4%Lowest
CT: 10%
7.6%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
83.5%Highest
CT: 66.5%
73.6%
CT: 66.5%
82.9%
CT: 66.5%
73.3%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
16 yrs newer than CT
1971Lowest
4 yrs newer than CT
1979
12 yrs newer than CT
1977
10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
18% above CT
27 minLowest
about the CT average
32 minHighest
22% above CT
31 min
17% above CT
Work from home
8.9%±5.4Lowest
CT: 16%
10%±4
CT: 16%
18.1%±10Highest
CT: 16%
9%±3.6
CT: 16%
Chaplin and Plainfield 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 #53 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT — #118 of 149 in CT
School district Voluntown School District Plainfield School District Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Griswold School District
High school in town None in town Plainfield High School Parish Hill High School Griswold High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.3
7.5Lowest
11.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet 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.