Compare towns
Preston vs Windham vs Canterbury
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).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).
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 | Windham | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
23,961Highest |
5,124 |
| Median age | 46.2±7 12% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
48.4±4.5Highest 18% above CT |
| 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 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15%±3.5Lowest 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%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| 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%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
26.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$103,198±$6k 8% above CT |
| 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 about the CT average |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$334,200±$12k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$924±$367Lowest 38% 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 |
$4,633 30% below CT |
$4,140Lowest 38% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
40%±13Lowest 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% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
88.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
14.7%±5.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Canterbury 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
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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.