Compare towns
Devens vs Ledyard vs Preston vs Russell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Russell has the most affordable homes ($303k 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 | Devens | Ledyard | Preston | Russell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723 |
15,433Highest |
4,821 |
1,197Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
47.7±7.6 23% above U.S. |
| Devens and Russell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Russell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$107,975±$10kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$108,750±$24k 35% above U.S. |
| Devens and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$326,200±$27k about the U.S. average |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$303,300±$32kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,013±$330Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Ledyard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 78% above U.S. |
$6,371Highest 104% above U.S. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,104 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.6%±20.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #99 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Ledyard School District | Preston School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Ledyard High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.