Compare towns
Colebrook vs Sterling vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colebrook has the most expensive homes ($343k median).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Winchester has the shortest commute (26 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 | Colebrook | Sterling | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
3,629 |
10,284Highest |
| Median age | 52.1±5Highest 27% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
49.1±6.2 19% above CT |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±3.9 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$17kHighest 16% above CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Colebrook and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$19kHighest 7% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$626Highest 10% below CT |
— | $1,174±$116Lowest 21% below CT |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,211Highest 7% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±55 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Winchester and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 7 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 29% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
26 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 7%±3.8 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Colebrook 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 | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Colebrook School District | Sterling School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7 |
| 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.