Compare towns
Griswold vs Thompson 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).
Thompson has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Thompson | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
9,337 |
4,821Lowest |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
46.2±7Lowest 12% above CT |
| 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 CT: 20.2% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Griswold 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
| 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 CT: 42.5% |
21.9% CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Preston and Thompson 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 |
$93,629±$18k about the CT average |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
| Preston and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42kLowest 25% below CT |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 21% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
| Preston and Griswold 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 |
$3,822Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,749Highest 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
54%±18.7 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| 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 CT: 10% |
5.9% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
84.3% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Thompson School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
7.9Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.