Compare towns
Norwich vs Preston vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Norwich | Preston | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
4,821Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Preston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Preston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwich and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #133 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Preston School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.