Compare towns
Griswold vs Sandy Hook vs Preston vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Winchester has the most renters (34.2% rent).
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 | Sandy Hook | Preston | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
9,863 |
4,821Lowest |
10,284 |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester 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% |
22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sandy Hook 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 CT: 18.5% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester 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% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook 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±$11k 18% below CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Sandy Hook 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 |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 21% below CT |
$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,174±$116Lowest 21% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628Lowest 30% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| 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% CT: 10% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
91.7% CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | — | #93 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | — | Preston School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | — | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | — | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.