Compare towns
Griswold vs Middlesex vs Thompson 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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Middlesex | Thompson | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
1,943Lowest |
9,337 |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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 |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Middlesex 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. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Thompson 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 min 4% 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% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | — | #130 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Thompson School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 7.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.