Compare towns

Griswold vs Harvard vs Killingly 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

Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
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.

MeasureGriswoldHarvardKillinglyPreston
People
Population
11,530
6,927
17,867Highest
4,821Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
48.1±3.9Highest
24% above U.S.
44.1±4.7
13% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
46.2±7
19% above U.S.
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
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±4.4
U.S.: 22%
Harvard and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.8%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.3%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
23%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Preston and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
28.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.8%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Killingly 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±$11kLowest
about the U.S. average
$213,996±$24kHighest
165% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$116,648±$27k
44% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$275,900±$42kLowest
17% below U.S.
$833,600±$54kHighest
151% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$361,900±$13k
9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,177±$65
17% below U.S.
$1,321±$424
7% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,433±$1kHighest
about the U.S. average
Preston and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,628
48% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$3,922Lowest
26% above U.S.
$4,749
52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
57.5%±15.5
U.S.: 51.1%
72.5%±51.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.6%±12.5
U.S.: 51.1%
Harvard and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
89.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
91.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1968Lowest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
17% above U.S.
32 minHighest
20% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
22 minLowest
16% below U.S.
Work from home
9%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
44.8%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #118 of 149 in CT #12 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT #93 of 149 in CT
School district Griswold School District Harvard Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Preston School District
High school in town Griswold High School The Bromfield High School Killingly High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.5Highest
11.0Lowest
11.1
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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.