Compare towns
Sterling vs Durham vs Foster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Durham has the highest household income ($159k).
Foster has the oldest population (median age 47.1).
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 | Durham | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
7,208Highest |
4,523 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±2.8 17% above U.S. |
47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Foster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Foster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$158,857±$7kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$424,800±$23k 28% above U.S. |
$425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Foster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,154±$448Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Foster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,998Highest 156% above U.S. |
$7,135 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±28.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Foster 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Regional School District 13 | Foster |
| High school in town | None in town | Coginchaug Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— |
| 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.