Compare towns
Lisbon vs Ware vs Sprague 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
Lisbon has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Sprague has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Lisbon | Ware | Sprague | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,211 |
10,048Highest |
2,962Lowest |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.5±10.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| Sprague and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest 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 | $92,708±$12k 15% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$92,850±$11k 15% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$273,500±$17kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,668 50% above U.S. |
$4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #141 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Ware | Sprague School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.