Compare towns
Ledyard vs Beacon Falls vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Ledyard | Beacon Falls | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,433Highest |
6,147 |
4,821Lowest |
| Median age | 37.1±1.4Lowest 10% below CT |
48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
| Beacon Falls and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Beacon Falls and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5% CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Beacon Falls and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,975±$10k 13% above CT |
$101,516±$42kLowest 6% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
| Preston and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$27kLowest 11% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
| Preston and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,629±$247 9% above CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT |
| Beacon Falls and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,371 4% below CT |
$6,534Highest about the CT average |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±27Highest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Ledyard and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #99 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ledyard School District | Regional School District 16 | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Ledyard High School | Woodland Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.