Compare towns
Preston vs Webster vs Windsor Locks vs Canterbury
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).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Canterbury has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
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 | Windsor Locks | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
17,748Highest |
12,579 |
5,124 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Webster 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±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
| Preston and Canterbury 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. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$334,200±$12k 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. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Preston and Windsor Locks 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. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,140 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Canterbury 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Webster | Windsor Locks School District | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.