Compare towns
Griswold vs Middlefield vs Preston
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 most affordable homes ($276k median).
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Middlefield | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
4,243Lowest |
4,821 |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
46.2±7Lowest 12% above CT |
| Middlefield and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Preston 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 CT: 42.5% |
41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield 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 18% below CT |
$99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
| Preston and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42kLowest 25% below CT |
$376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Preston 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 |
$3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 CT: 52.6% |
85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield 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% |
8.1%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
10.9%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Middlefield 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Regional School District 13 | 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 |
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.