What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berlin has the most people working from home (14.4%).

Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Berlin	Preston
People
Population	20,361Highest	4,821Lowest
Median age	48.7±3Highest 18% above CT	46.2±7Lowest 12% above CT
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.7Highest CT: 20.2%	18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%	23%±4.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.2%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1%	4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,598±$11kLowest 19% above CT	$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT
	Preston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,600±$13kHighest about the CT average	$361,900±$13kLowest about the CT average
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$88Lowest 6% below CT	$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT
	Preston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,291Highest 10% above CT	$4,749Lowest 29% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.4%±11.3Highest CT: 52.6%	52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Berlin and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Highest CT: 10%	2.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT	1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 21% below CT	22 minHighest 17% below CT
Work from home	14.4%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16%
	Berlin and Preston 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	#73 of 149 in CT	#93 of 149 in CT
School district	Berlin School District	Preston School District
High school in town	Berlin High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.