Compare towns
Windham vs Chaplin vs Bethany vs New London
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
New London has the most renters (63.9% 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 | Windham | Chaplin | Bethany | New London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
2,070Lowest |
5,288 |
27,625Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
34.7±2.1 16% below CT |
| Chaplin and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Bethany and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
15%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.3%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Windham and New London are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$59,098±$5k 38% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$253,300±$23k 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
— | $1,340±$51 10% below CT |
| Chaplin and New London are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633 30% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$4,977 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.2%±5.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and New London are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4% CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
36.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1945Lowest 22 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
19 minLowest 28% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
11.6%±2.3 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Bethany 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | — | #30 of 149 in CT | #147 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Interdistrict School for Arts and Comm District · New London School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Parish Hill High School | None in town | New London High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
7.5Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.