Compare towns
Griswold vs Providence 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 affordable homes ($276k median).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
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 | Providence | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530 |
191,767Highest |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below 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% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Griswold 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% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest 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 |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Griswold 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. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Providence 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 17% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Providence 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. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Preston 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Classical High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
17.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.