Compare towns
Watertown vs Chaplin vs Waterford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Watertown has the most homeowners (83.9%).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Waterford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Watertown | Chaplin | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,253Highest |
2,070Lowest |
19,673 |
| Median age | 46.3±2.9Highest 13% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
46±2.4 12% above CT |
| Watertown and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.1%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Waterford and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
22.6%±2.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Watertown and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,691±$7k 6% above CT |
$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
$104,820±$9kHighest 9% above CT |
| Waterford and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,500±$16k 9% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$355,900±$14kHighest about the CT average |
| Waterford and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$227Lowest 14% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,651±$153Highest 11% above CT |
| Waterford and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,014Highest 9% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$4,876 27% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±13.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.4%±12 CT: 52.6% |
| Watertown and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
79.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.3Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10.2%±2.2 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Waterford 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 | #126 of 149 in CT | — | #80 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Watertown School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Learn · Waterford School District |
| High school in town | Watertown High School | Parish Hill High School | Waterford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
7.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.