Compare towns
Voluntown vs Windham vs Plainfield vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
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 | Windham | Plainfield | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,604Lowest |
23,961Highest |
15,141 |
3,629 |
| Median age | 48.3±1.7Highest 18% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Voluntown and Plainfield 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% |
22.7% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,964±$25k 6% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below 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 |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$191 22% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
— |
| Plainfield and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,955Highest 25% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Voluntown 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% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 16 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5.4 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
| 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 | #53 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Voluntown School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.