Compare towns
Preston vs Blackstone vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Canterbury has the most affordable homes ($334k 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 | Preston | Blackstone | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
9,255Highest |
5,124 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
| Preston and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Blackstone and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Preston and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 52% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Canterbury 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Blackstone-Millville | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6 |
— |
| 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.