Compare towns
Griswold vs Lisbon vs Mendon 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 renters (26.7% rent).
Lisbon has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
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 | Lisbon | Mendon | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
4,211Lowest |
6,325 |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% 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% |
22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Lisbon 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% |
21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon 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 |
$92,708±$12k 15% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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. |
$315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65Lowest 17% below U.S. |
— | $1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Preston 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. |
$4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Mendon 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% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer 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. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #210 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Lisbon School District | Mendon-Upton | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | 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 | 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.