Compare towns
Sterling vs Oxford vs Ashford
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 affordable homes ($283k median).
Oxford has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Oxford | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
13,385Highest |
4,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
42±2.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Oxford 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% |
21.3%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Oxford 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% |
16.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashford and Oxford 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% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$103,862±$10k 29% above U.S. |
$121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Oxford 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. |
$374,900±$18kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$334,800±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,177±$142Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,246±$208Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Oxford 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. |
$4,622 48% above U.S. |
$6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Ashford 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford and Oxford 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 | #245 of 282 in MA | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Oxford | Ashford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oxford High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.