Compare towns
Preston vs Mansfield vs Ledyard
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 oldest population (median age 46.2).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Ledyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
25,358Highest |
15,433 |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37.1±1.4 10% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
27.5%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Ledyard 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 CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$107,975±$10k 13% 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 |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$326,200±$27kLowest 11% below CT |
| Preston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,629±$247Highest 9% above CT |
| Ledyard and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$6,371Highest 4% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
54%±27 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Ledyard 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% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 minHighest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #93 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #99 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Ledyard School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Ledyard High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.