Compare towns
Preston vs Plainville 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 highest household income ($117k).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Plainville | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821 |
17,551Highest |
2,604Lowest |
| Median age | 46.2±7 12% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above 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%±4.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Voluntown 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% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Plainville 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% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
26.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville 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±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$101,964±$25k 6% above CT |
| Preston and Voluntown 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 |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% 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±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,166±$191 22% below CT |
| Preston and Voluntown 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 |
$4,798 28% below CT |
$4,955Highest 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Voluntown 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% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
7.3%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1983Highest 16 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
31 minHighest 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Highest CT: 16% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.