Compare towns
Baltic vs Sterling vs Windham
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 most people working from home (11.6%).
Windham 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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,157Lowest |
3,629 |
23,961Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.8±15.8 8% below CT |
39.4±5.9Highest 4% below CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% 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% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Baltic and Windham 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% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,958±$47k 28% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below 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 |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$141Highest 16% below CT |
— | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
| Baltic and Windham 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 |
$4,633Highest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.3%±13.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Sterling 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% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±4.6Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7 CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Windham 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 | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.