Compare towns
Sterling vs Gardner vs Chaplin
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Gardner | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629 |
21,148Highest |
2,070Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Sterling School District | Gardner | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
7.5Lowest |
| 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.