Compare towns
Sterling vs Mendon vs Plainfield 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
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Mendon | Plainfield | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
6,325 |
15,141Highest |
4,523 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Foster and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield 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. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Foster 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. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$425,300±$30k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Foster 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. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,135 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Foster |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.