Compare towns
Voluntown vs Wareham vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k 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.
| Measure | Voluntown | Wareham | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,604Lowest |
23,302Highest |
3,629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.3±1.7 24% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wareham and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| 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±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$191Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
— |
| Wareham and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,955Highest 59% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 19% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wareham 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 | #53 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Voluntown School District | Wareham | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.