Compare towns
Plainville vs Sterling vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% 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 | Plainville | Sterling | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
3,629Lowest |
23,961Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
| Plainville and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
22.7% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Highest 24% below CT |
— | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
| Plainville and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Highest 28% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.