What stands out worked out from the figures below

Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).

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

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	Voluntown	Sterling
People
Population	2,604Lowest	3,629Highest
Median age	48.3±1.7Highest 18% above CT	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±3Highest CT: 18.5%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Voluntown and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.7%Highest CT: 42.5%	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	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	$101,964±$25kLowest 6% above CT	$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT
	Sterling and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$356,100±$16kHighest about the CT average	$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,166±$191 22% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,955Highest 25% below CT	$4,551Lowest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.9%±24.3Highest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Voluntown and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest CT: 10%	8.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 16 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 18% above CT	35 minHighest 34% above CT
Work from home	8.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16%
	Sterling and Voluntown 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	#53 of 149 in CT	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Voluntown School District	Sterling School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.