What stands out worked out from the figures below

Roxbury has the most expensive homes ($715k median).

Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Roxbury	Sterling
People
Population	2,185Lowest	3,629Highest
Median age	54.7±1.8Highest 33% above CT	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT
Kids under 18	14.3%±4Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±5.5Highest CT: 18.5%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Roxbury and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$123,864±$27kHighest 29% above CT	$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT
	Roxbury and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$714,500±$77kHighest 95% above CT	$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$418 15% above CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,591Highest about the CT average	$4,551Lowest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.5%±48.3Highest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Roxbury and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest CT: 10%	8.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 14 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 38% above CT	35 minLowest 34% above CT
Work from home	17.4%±6.6Highest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Roxbury 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	—	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 12	Sterling School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.