Compare towns
Ledyard vs Chaplin 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).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Preston has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | Chaplin | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,433Highest |
2,070Lowest |
4,821 |
| Median age | 37.1±1.4Lowest 10% below CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
| Preston and Chaplin 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% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin 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 |
$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
$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±$27k 11% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
| Preston and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,629±$247Highest 9% above CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT |
| Ledyard and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,371Highest 4% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±27Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest 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% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | — | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ledyard School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Ledyard High School | Parish Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
7.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.