Compare towns
Preston vs Webster vs Norwich
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).
Norwich has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Webster | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
17,748 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Webster 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% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Norwich 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. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Preston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Preston and Norwich 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. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwich 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% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Preston and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Webster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.