Compare towns
Griswold vs Thompson vs Ware 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).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Thompson | Ware | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
9,337 |
10,048 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Ware 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 about the U.S. average |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| 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 17% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| 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 48% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Griswold 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Thompson School District | Ware | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
7.9Lowest |
11.1 |
— |
| 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.