Compare towns
Sterling vs Whately vs Voluntown
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).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Whately | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Highest |
1,499Lowest |
2,604 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.3±6.7Highest 27% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7 24% above U.S. |
| Whately and Voluntown 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Whately 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whately and Voluntown 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% |
47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sterling and Voluntown 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. |
$116,563±$15kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$101,964±$25kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Whately 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. |
$431,500±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$356,100±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $977±$125Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,166±$191Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Voluntown and Whately 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. |
$5,027Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,955 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±29Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Voluntown 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whately 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 | — | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | Whately | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.