Compare towns
Sterling vs Webster vs Plainfield
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 highest household income ($103k).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Webster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
12,228 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Highest about the U.S. average |
37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Webster 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% |
21.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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 27% above U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Plainfield 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Plainfield High School |
| 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.