Compare towns
Windham vs Sterling vs Plainville
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 highest household income ($103k).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961Highest |
3,629Lowest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainville 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±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
| Sterling and Plainville 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 |
— | $1,126±$147Highest 24% below CT |
| Plainville and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633 30% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Plainville 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% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Sterling and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.