What stands out worked out from the figures below

Baltic has the most renters (62.2% rent).

Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Baltic	Sterling
People
Population	1,157Lowest	3,629Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	37.8±15.8Lowest 8% below CT	39.4±5.9Highest 4% below CT
	Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±10.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.6%±5.2Highest CT: 18.5%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Baltic and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.1%Lowest CT: 42.5%	18%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,958±$47kLowest 28% below CT	$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT
	Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,200±$27kLowest 47% below CT	$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,247±$141 16% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,799Lowest 43% below CT	$4,551Highest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.3%±13.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.6%Highest CT: 10%	8.3%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 6% above CT	35 minHighest 34% above CT
Work from home	5.2%±4.6Lowest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16%
	Sterling and Baltic 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	—	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Sterling School District
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.