Compare towns
Ashford vs Killingly vs Preston vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k 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 | Ashford | Killingly | Preston | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,226 |
17,867Highest |
4,821 |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest 8% below CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Preston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
$84,350±$8kLowest 12% below CT |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
| Ashford and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18k 9% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
| Preston and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208 16% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
| Chaplin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
32 min 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
| Ashford and Chaplin 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Ashford School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Preston School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 7.5Lowest |
| 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.