Compare towns
Windsor vs Sterling vs New Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
New Milford has the most expensive homes ($392k 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 | Windsor | Sterling | New Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,468Highest |
3,629Lowest |
28,334 |
| Median age | 43.7±1.9Highest 6% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
42.1±1.9 about the CT average |
| Windsor and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.7%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
41.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT |
$106,411±$8kHighest 11% above CT |
| New Milford and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT |
$391,500±$10kHighest 7% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
— | $1,609±$152Lowest 8% above CT |
| Windsor and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,351 19% below CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$6,150Highest 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.7%±13.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
| New Milford and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.3%Highest CT: 10% |
7.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
80.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
30 min 14% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16% |
15.1%±2.5 CT: 16% |
| Windsor and New Milford 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #110 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Sterling School District | New Milford School District |
| High school in town | Windsor High School | None in town | New Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
| 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.