Compare towns
Preston vs Ware vs Ledyard
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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
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 | Ware | Ledyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
10,048 |
15,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Preston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ledyard 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,975±$10k 34% above U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$326,200±$27k about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Ledyard 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Ledyard 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. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$6,371Highest 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #99 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Ware | Ledyard School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ledyard High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.