Compare towns
Norwich vs Putnam vs Upton 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
Norwich has the youngest population (median age 38.5).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Putnam | Upton | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
9,292 |
8,189 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Norwich 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% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 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. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Upton 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. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703 51% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwich and Upton 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #133 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.5Lowest |
11.2 |
— |
| 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.