Compare towns
Sterling vs Coventry vs Plainfield vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Coventry has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k 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 | Sterling | Coventry | Plainfield | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
12,326 |
15,141Highest |
2,604Lowest |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
45.4±3.8 10% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
48.3±1.7Highest 18% above CT |
| Voluntown and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±3.2 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.2%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±3 CT: 18.5% |
| Coventry and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18% CT: 42.5% |
45%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
26.7% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$108,213±$5kHighest 13% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$101,964±$25k 6% above CT |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$330,000±$23k 10% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$356,100±$16kHighest about the CT average |
| Voluntown and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$330Highest 17% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,166±$191Lowest 22% below CT |
| Coventry and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 31% below CT |
$5,284Highest 20% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,955 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
62.7%±23.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Coventry and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% CT: 10% |
5.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
7.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% CT: 66.5% |
90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1966Lowest 1 yr older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1983 16 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
31 min 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
15.6%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Coventry 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 | #41 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Coventry School District | Plainfield School District | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Coventry High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.