What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ellington has the most people working from home (18.4%).

Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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	Ellington	Preston
People
Population	16,455Highest	4,821Lowest
Median age	40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average	46.2±7Highest 12% above CT
	Preston and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2%	18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5%
	Preston and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±2.2Highest CT: 7.1%	4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT	$116,648±$27kLowest 22% above CT
	Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average	$361,900±$13kLowest about the CT average
	Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT	$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT
	Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,751Highest about the CT average	$4,749Lowest 29% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±10.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6%
	Preston and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4% CT: 10%	2.4% CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT	1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 18% above CT	22 minLowest 17% below CT
Work from home	18.4%±3.9Highest CT: 16%	10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16%
	Ellington 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	#46 of 149 in CT	#93 of 149 in CT
School district	Ellington School District	Preston School District
High school in town	Ellington High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3	—
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.