Compare towns
Baltic vs Sterling vs Plainfield vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baltic has the most renters (62.2% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Norwich has the shortest commute (24 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 | Baltic | Sterling | Plainfield | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,157Lowest |
3,629 |
15,141 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— | — | -0.9%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37.8±15.8 8% below CT |
39.4±5.9Highest 4% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
38.5±1.7 6% below CT |
| Sterling and Norwich 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% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±1.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±5.2 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.9%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Norwich and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1% CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
23.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,958±$47k 28% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,200±$27kLowest 47% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$242,300±$11k 34% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$141 16% below CT |
— | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,253±$68Highest 16% below CT |
| Norwich and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,799Lowest 43% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$4,703Highest 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.3%±13.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Norwich and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
16.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
53.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1957 10 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
24 minLowest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±4.6Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
7.2%±2 CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Sterling School District | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Plainfield High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.