Compare towns
Norwich vs Wolcott vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Wolcott has the most people working from home (11.2%).
Preston has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | Wolcott | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
16,279 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest 6% below CT |
44.4±2.5 8% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
| Preston and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Norwich and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Wolcott 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 CT: 42.5% |
37%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Norwich and Wolcott 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 32% below CT |
$110,850±$10k 16% above CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
| Preston and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT |
$326,200±$17k 11% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68Lowest 16% below CT |
$1,464±$913Highest about the CT average |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
| Wolcott and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703Lowest 29% below CT |
$5,799Highest 13% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
| 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 CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
88.4% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below CT |
30 minHighest 13% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
11.2%±3.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
| Wolcott 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 | #76 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Wolcott School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | Wolcott High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.