What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).

Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).

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	Oakham	Sterling
People
Population	1,639Lowest	3,629Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	49±2.3Highest 26% above U.S.	39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sterling and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Oakham and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,000±$20kLowest 26% above U.S.	$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S.
	Sterling and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S.	$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,174±$81 17% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,103Lowest 32% above U.S.	$4,551Highest 46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	32%±18.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sterling and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 46% above U.S.	35 minLowest 34% above U.S.
Work from home	9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sterling and Oakham 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	—	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Quabbin	Sterling School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.