Compare towns
Preston vs Chaplin vs Plainville vs Lisbon
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 highest household income ($117k).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Lisbon has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
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 | Plainville | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821 |
2,070Lowest |
17,551Highest |
4,211 |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
44.5±5.2 8% above CT |
| Preston and Lisbon 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%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.1%±6.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Lisbon and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Lisbon 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% CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
19.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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±$14k about the CT average |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$92,708±$12k 3% below CT |
| Preston and Chaplin 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±$24k 30% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$315,700±$26k 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
— |
| Chaplin and Preston 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 |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
$4,044Lowest 39% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
100%±75.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Lisbon 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% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
6.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
32 min 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
8.3%±3.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #102 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Lisbon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.