Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bethany 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).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Bethany | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
5,288 |
3,629Lowest |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
| Bethany and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bethany and Plainfield 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% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
32 min 21% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
| Bethany 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | 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.