Compare towns
Preston vs Coventry vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Harwinton has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Coventry | Plainfield | Harwinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
35,907Highest |
15,141 |
5,575 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below 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%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harwinton and Plainfield 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% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Harwinton and Plainfield 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. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below 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±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$352,100±$16k 6% above U.S. |
| Preston and Coventry 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 |
$1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% 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 | $4,749 52% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,503Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±27.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston and Coventry 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harwinton and Coventry 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #34 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Coventry | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Coventry High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.