Compare towns
Griswold vs Orange vs Windsor Locks 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 renters (26.7% rent).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Orange | Windsor Locks | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
14,315Highest |
12,579 |
4,821Lowest |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 17% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
| 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 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange 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 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Orange 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 |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
| Orange 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±$42k 25% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65Lowest 21% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
| Orange and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 30% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older 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 |
28 min 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Orange 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Windsor Locks School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.