Compare towns
Exeter vs Ledyard vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Preston has the oldest population (median age 46.2).
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 | Exeter | Ledyard | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195 |
15,433Highest |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9 3% below U.S. |
37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ledyard and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$107,975±$10kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$326,200±$27kLowest about the U.S. average |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
| Ledyard and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 89% above U.S. |
$6,371Highest 104% above U.S. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #99 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Ledyard School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.