Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dummerston vs Sterling vs Wauregan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Wauregan has the most renters (39.4% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Sterling | Wauregan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
2,090 |
3,629 |
1,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +27.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
32±5.9Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±9.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wauregan and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 5% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$79,545±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Sterling and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$262,700±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,254±$476 11% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Wauregan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,649Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
60.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 | 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.