Compare towns
Preston vs Blackstone vs Harwinton
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%).
Harwinton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Harwinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
9,255Highest |
5,575 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.1±4.3 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Harwinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Harwinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Harwinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Harwinton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$129,643±$18kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Harwinton and Preston 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. |
$352,100±$16kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| 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±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,189±$85Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,504±$200Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Harwinton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,503 76% 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% |
27.8%±27.9Lowest 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Harwinton 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 | #34 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Blackstone-Millville | Regional School District 10 |
| 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.