Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sterling vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Sterling | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
3,629Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Townsend 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Townsend 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. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.