Compare towns
Preston vs Ware vs Lisbon
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).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Lisbon has the most kids (22.1% 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 | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821 |
10,048Highest |
4,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
| Preston and Lisbon 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% |
22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Ware 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%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Ware 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. |
$92,708±$12k 15% above U.S. |
| Preston and Lisbon 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. |
$315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— |
| Preston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Ware 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% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.4Lowest 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 | #102 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Ware | Lisbon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.