Compare towns
Sterling vs Townsend vs Brooklyn
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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Townsend | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
9,100Highest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Townsend 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Brooklyn 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Brooklyn 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Brooklyn 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | North Middlesex | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.