Compare towns
Preston vs Chaplin vs Ledyard vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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 | Chaplin | Ledyard | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821 |
2,070Lowest |
15,433Highest |
2,604 |
| Median age | 46.2±7 12% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
37.1±1.4Lowest 10% below CT |
48.3±1.7Highest 18% above CT |
| Voluntown 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 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
27.5%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±3 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
26.7% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Ledyard 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 22% above CT |
$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
$107,975±$10k 13% above CT |
$101,964±$25k 6% above CT |
| Preston and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$326,200±$27k 11% below CT |
$356,100±$16k about the CT average |
| Preston and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,629±$247Highest 9% above CT |
$1,166±$191Lowest 22% below CT |
| Ledyard and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 29% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$6,371Highest 4% below CT |
$4,955 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±27Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Ledyard 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 CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
7.3%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
82.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1983Highest 16 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
31 min 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±2.8 CT: 16% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | — | #99 of 149 in CT | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Ledyard School District | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Ledyard High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.