Compare towns
Griswold vs Plainfield vs Smithfield 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 oldest population (median age 48.1).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Plainfield | Smithfield | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
15,141 |
22,233Highest |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% 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%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Preston 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Smithfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% 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. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Plainfield School District | Smithfield | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Plainfield High School | Smithfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
10.3Lowest |
11.8Highest |
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| 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.