Compare towns
Cromwell vs Preston vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cromwell has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 48.7).
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 | Cromwell | Preston | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,334 |
4,821Lowest |
20,361Highest |
| Median age | 43.5±2.5Lowest 6% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
48.7±3Highest 18% 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 | 19.1%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Berlin and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±3.1Highest 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+ | 49.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
7.2%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Berlin and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,596±$10kLowest 15% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$113,598±$11k 19% 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 | $325,200±$22kLowest 11% below CT |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$374,600±$13kHighest 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 | $1,628±$154Highest 9% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,402±$88Lowest 6% below CT |
| Cromwell and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,137 8% below CT |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$7,291Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±11.9 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.4%±11.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Berlin and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 21% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
14.4%±4.6 CT: 16% |
| Cromwell and Berlin 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 | #69 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #73 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cromwell School District | Preston School District | Berlin School District |
| High school in town | Cromwell High School | None in town | Berlin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| 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.