Compare towns
Griswold vs Sterling vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the most renters (26.7% rent).
Sterling has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Stafford 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 | Griswold | Sterling | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
3,629Lowest |
11,511 |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 17% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
46.7±4.8 14% above CT |
| Griswold and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.5%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
22%±3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Stafford and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
| Sterling and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11kLowest 18% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$93,235±$16k about the CT average |
| Sterling and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$263,800±$22kLowest 28% below CT |
| Sterling and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65Highest 21% below CT |
— | $1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT |
| Griswold and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 30% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$5,131Highest 23% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
41.5%±12.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Griswold and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% CT: 10% |
8.3%Highest CT: 10% |
7.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
79.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
26 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
11%±3.5 CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Stafford 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Sterling School District | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.