Compare towns
Preston vs Ware vs Ledyard vs Harwinton
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Harwinton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Harwinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
10,048 |
15,433Highest |
5,575 |
| 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. |
46.1±4.3 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Harwinton 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% |
20%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ledyard and Harwinton 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Harwinton 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% |
40.3% 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%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Harwinton and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,975±$10k 34% above U.S. |
$129,643±$18kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Harwinton and Preston 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 |
$352,100±$16k 6% above U.S. |
| Preston and Harwinton 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. |
$1,504±$200 6% above U.S. |
| Ledyard and Harwinton 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. |
$5,503 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±27.9Lowest 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest 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. |
1961 19 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. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harwinton and Ware 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 | #34 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Ware | Ledyard School District | Regional School District 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ledyard High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.