Compare towns
Lisbon vs Ware 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
Lisbon has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Lisbon | Ware | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,211 |
10,048Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12k 15% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Ware | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.