Compare towns
Sterling vs Mansfield vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn
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).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Plainfield | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
25,358Highest |
15,141 |
8,517 |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
| Brooklyn 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 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield 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% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
| Sterling and Brooklyn 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 |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
| Mansfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 31% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
81.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.