Compare towns
Plainfield vs Thomaston 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 youngest population (median age 37).
Thomaston has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
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 | Thomaston | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
7,492 |
3,629Lowest |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
| Thomaston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Thomaston 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% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Thomaston 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% |
34%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Thomaston 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 |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
| Thomaston 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 26% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
| Sterling and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
— |
| Plainfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,915Highest 11% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston 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 CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Thomaston School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Thomaston High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| 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.