Compare towns
Windham vs Sterling vs Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Windham | Sterling | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961Highest |
3,629 |
1,647Lowest |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
51.5±5.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.7%±5.3Lowest 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+ | 14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
26.1%±2.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
29.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$109,167±$19kHighest 14% above CT |
| Hampton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$295,800±$27kHighest 19% below CT |
| Hampton 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 26% below CT |
— | $1,285±$288Highest 14% below CT |
| Hampton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Highest 30% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$4,364Lowest 34% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.5%±51.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
5.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
90%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1980 13 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
29 min 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
17.7%±5.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Hampton 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.