Compare towns
Preston vs Washington vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Washington has the most people working from home (20.1%).
Voluntown has the most affordable homes ($356k 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 | Washington | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Highest |
3,676 |
2,604Lowest |
| Median age | 46.2±7Lowest 12% above CT |
49.9±5.5Highest 21% above CT |
48.3±1.7 18% above CT |
| Washington and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
19%±4.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Washington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
26.9%±5.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Washington 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% CT: 42.5% |
53.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
26.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.4%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Washington 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 22% above CT |
$101,549±$16kLowest 6% above CT |
$101,964±$25k 6% above CT |
| Preston and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$660,200±$130kHighest 80% above CT |
$356,100±$16kLowest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,204±$264 19% below CT |
$1,166±$191Lowest 22% below CT |
| Preston and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 29% below CT |
$4,709Lowest 29% below CT |
$4,955Highest 25% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
26.1%±24Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.9%±24.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
9%Highest CT: 10% |
7.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
79%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1983Highest 16 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
26 min 4% below CT |
31 minHighest 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
20.1%±9Highest CT: 16% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Washington 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 | #17 of 149 in CT | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Regional School District 12 | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Shepaug Valley School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.