What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most people working from home (20.5%).

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	Durham	Sterling
People
Population	7,208Highest	3,629Lowest
Median age	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT
	Durham and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Durham and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	Sterling and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT	$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT	$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,154±$448 22% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,998Highest 20% above CT	$4,551Lowest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Durham and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest CT: 10%	8.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	35 minHighest 34% above CT
Work from home	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Durham 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	#88 of 149 in CT	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 13	Sterling School District
High school in town	Coginchaug Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9	—
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.