Compare towns
Preston vs Scituate vs Windsor Locks
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 most homeowners (91.7%).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Scituate | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
10,517 |
12,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Scituate 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Preston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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 44% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Scituate 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. |
$5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Windsor Locks 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% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Scituate | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Scituate High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.