What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).

Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sterling	Thompson
People
Population	3,629Lowest	9,337Highest
Median age	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT	54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT
Kids under 18	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%	11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%	21.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.9Highest CT: 7.1%	2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Sterling and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT	$93,629±$18kLowest about the CT average
	Sterling and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT	$291,900±$24kHighest 20% below CT
	Thompson and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,012±$344 32% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,551Highest 31% below CT	$3,822Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6%
	Thompson and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest CT: 10%	5.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%	84.3%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT	1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above CT	32 minLowest 20% above CT
Work from home	11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16%	13.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16%
	Thompson 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	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Sterling School District	Thompson School District
High school in town	None in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.