Compare towns
Webster vs Sterling vs Killingly vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Sterling has the most homeowners (81.1%).
Killingly has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
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 | Webster | Sterling | Killingly | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
3,629Lowest |
17,867Highest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
40.4±1.8Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Killingly 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Killingly High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.