Compare towns
Griswold vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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.
| Measure | Griswold | Lancaster | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
8,606 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
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% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Lancaster 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Preston 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. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Nashoba | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | 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.