Compare towns
Windham vs Plainfield vs Chaplin vs Mansfield
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 highest household income ($98k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plainfield | Chaplin | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
15,141 |
2,070Lowest |
25,358Highest |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
| Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
| Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
| Mansfield and Chaplin 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 |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7% CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
| Mansfield and Chaplin 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | — | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Plainfield High School | Parish Hill High School | E. O. Smith High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.3 |
7.5Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| 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.