Compare towns
Griswold vs Coventry vs Preston vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Coventry has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Griswold | Coventry | Preston | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
12,326 |
4,821Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 17% above CT |
45.4±3.8 10% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Griswold and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Coventry and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 CT: 18.5% |
20.2%±3.3 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9% CT: 42.5% |
45%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±2 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11k 18% below CT |
$108,213±$5k 13% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
$330,000±$23k 10% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65Lowest 21% below CT |
$1,232±$330 17% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 30% below CT |
$5,284Highest 20% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 CT: 52.6% |
62.7%±23.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Coventry and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% CT: 10% |
5.1% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.7% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1966Lowest 1 yr older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Coventry 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #41 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Coventry School District | Preston School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Coventry High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | 10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.