Compare towns
Sterling vs Plainville vs Chaplin vs Coventry
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Coventry has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
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 | Plainville | Chaplin | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629 |
17,551 |
2,070Lowest |
35,907Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Coventry 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% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Sterling 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24k 23% below U.S. |
$356,200±$11kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Coventry 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. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,099Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Plainville 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Sterling 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | — | #24 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Coventry |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | Parish Hill High School | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
7.5Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| 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.