ZIP Code 06278 — Lake Chaffee CDP, CT Demographics & Data

ZIP code 06278 covers Lake Chaffee, CT in Windham County with a population of about 4,345.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 37.9 (near the U.S. median).

It sits in telephone area codes 860, 959; U.S. House district CT-2; the HARTFORD & NEW HAVEN media market.

Median household income in ZIP 06278 is about $127,969 — about 70% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 4.7%; unemployment rate near 7.3%; 40.2% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 6.5 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Education, Retail trade, and Manufacturing; about 18.1% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 2.9 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $315,700 — about 9% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $1,085 (about 7% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 81.3% (about 15.9 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 06278 in Lake Chaffee, CT, a household would need roughly $87,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $2,028. That sits below the local median household income ($127,969), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate normals for Lake Chaffee CDP, CT show little to no average snow and around 49.3 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 240 for ZIP 06278 (Lake Chaffee CDP, CT) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.