Compare towns
Foster vs Killingly vs Mansfield vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Killingly has the oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Foster | Killingly | Mansfield | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523 |
17,867 |
25,358Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Foster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
— |
| Mansfield and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.