What stands out worked out from the figures below

Preston has the highest household income ($117k).

Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Preston	Windham
People
Population	4,821Lowest	23,961Highest
Median age	46.2±7Highest 12% above CT	33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT
Kids under 18	18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%
	Windham and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5%	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Highest CT: 42.5%	22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT	$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average	$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT	$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT
	Preston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,749Highest 29% below CT	$4,633Lowest 30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Windham 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 CT: 10%	20.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below CT	24 minHighest 8% below CT
Work from home	10.3%±6Highest CT: 16%	6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Preston and Windham 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	#143 of 149 in CT
School district	Preston School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town	None in town	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.