Compare towns
Sterling vs Windham vs Woonsocket
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 people working from home (11.6%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Windham | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
23,961 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Highest about the U.S. average |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Woonsocket and Windham 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% |
22.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Windham 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. |
$4,633Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Woonsocket 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Woonsocket 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.