Compare towns
Plainfield vs Baltic vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Baltic has the most renters (62.2% 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 | Plainfield | Baltic | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
1,157Lowest |
3,629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
37.8±15.8 8% below CT |
39.4±5.9Highest 4% below CT |
| Sterling and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.5%±10.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest 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+ | 16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
15.6%±5.2 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainfield and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
16.1% CT: 42.5% |
18%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
0.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$68,958±$47kLowest 28% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$196,200±$27kLowest 47% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,247±$141Highest 16% below CT |
— |
| Baltic and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$3,799Lowest 43% below CT |
$4,551Highest 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
29.3%±13.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Plainfield and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
11.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
37.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
28 min 6% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
5.2%±4.6Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | — | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.