Compare towns
Norwich vs Sturbridge 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 most renters (46.2% rent).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Sturbridge | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
9,960 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% 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 | $4,703Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
7.7Lowest |
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| 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.