Compare towns
Middlefield vs Plainfield vs Sterling vs Beacon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Middlefield | Plainfield | Sterling | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243 |
15,141Highest |
3,629Lowest |
6,147 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
| Sterling and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
— | $1,921±$286 29% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$6,534 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1985 18 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
33 min 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.