Compare towns
Sterling vs Mansfield 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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Foster has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
25,358Highest |
4,523 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Foster and Sterling 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% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest 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%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster and Sterling 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% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Foster 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±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,509±$556Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Foster 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. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Foster 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% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest 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. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Foster |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.