What stands out worked out from the figures below

Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).

Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).

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	Columbia	Sterling
People
Population	5,300Highest	3,629Lowest
Median age	51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT
	Columbia and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Columbia and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT	$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT
	Columbia and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average	$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$966±$304 35% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,228Highest 21% below CT	$4,551Lowest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Sterling and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.1%Lowest CT: 10%	8.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.3%Highest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 17 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 21% above CT	35 minHighest 34% above CT
Work from home	21.6%±6Highest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Columbia and Sterling 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	#114 of 149 in CT	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Columbia School District	Sterling School District
High school in town	None 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.