Compare towns
Griswold vs Killingly vs Ayer 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).
Killingly has the oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
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 | Killingly | Ayer | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
17,867Highest |
8,645 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.2±2.8Lowest 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% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer 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% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 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 |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Ayer 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. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Preston 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% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ayer Shirley School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Killingly High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.