Compare towns
Sterling vs Mansfield vs Plainville
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%).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
25,358Highest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Plainville 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainville 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 |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.