Compare towns
Plainfield vs Cornwall Bridge 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).
Cornwall Bridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Cornwall Bridge | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
248Lowest |
3,629 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
50.4±11.4Highest 23% above CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
| Cornwall Bridge 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% |
20.2%±11.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Cornwall Bridge 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% |
25%±11.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Cornwall Bridge 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% |
26.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.4%±6.7Lowest 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±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
— | $102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$371,100±$64kHighest about the CT average |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
$911±$105Lowest 39% below CT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$4,107Lowest 38% below CT |
$4,551Highest 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
89.3%±61Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Cornwall Bridge and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
19%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
71.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
35 min 31% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
19.8%±15.7Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
| Cornwall Bridge 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 | — | #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.