Compare towns
Sterling vs Killingly vs Pelham 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).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k 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 | Killingly | Pelham | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
17,867Highest |
1,335Lowest |
2,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
45±8.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Chaplin 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% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Pelham 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% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pelham and Chaplin 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Killingly 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 27% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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 15% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$447,600±$33kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,205±$560 15% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,472Highest 140% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Killingly and Pelham 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% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.8%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Chaplin 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | — | — |
| School district | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Pelham | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 7.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.