Compare towns
Preston vs Smithfield vs Montville
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 highest household income ($117k).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Montville has the most affordable homes ($286k median).
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 | Smithfield | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
22,233Highest |
17,950 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.8±4.1 10% above U.S. |
| Preston and Montville 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% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Preston and Montville 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% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Smithfield 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% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$96,454±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Smithfield 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. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$285,600±$13kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,187±$99 16% below U.S. |
| Preston and Montville 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. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,565Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Smithfield | Montville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| 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.