Compare towns
Ledyard vs Lancaster 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
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,433Highest |
8,606 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ledyard and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,975±$10kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$27kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,629±$247 15% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,371 104% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #99 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ledyard School District | Nashoba | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Ledyard High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.