Compare towns
Sterling vs Orange vs Coventry 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 youngest population (median age 39.4).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
Coventry has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Orange | Coventry | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
14,315 |
35,907Highest |
2,070Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
| Orange and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Sterling 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% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Orange 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. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$491,500±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 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 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Orange 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #24 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Sterling School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Coventry | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Coventry High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3Highest |
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.