Compare towns
Cromwell vs Preston vs Plainville
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%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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 | Cromwell | Preston | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,334 |
4,821Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.5±2.5Lowest 6% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Preston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Cromwell and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.2 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Cromwell 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% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cromwell and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,596±$10k 15% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Preston and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,200±$22k 11% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$154Highest 9% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% 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 | $6,137Highest 8% below CT |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±11.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Cromwell and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #69 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cromwell School District | Preston School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Cromwell High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 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.