Compare towns
Preston vs Windham vs Suffield vs Ledyard
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 most homeowners (91.7%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
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 | Suffield | Ledyard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
23,961Highest |
15,702 |
15,433 |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
37.1±1.4 10% below CT |
| Preston and Suffield 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%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
27.5%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Suffield 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% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
40.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$107,975±$10k 13% above CT |
| Suffield and Preston 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 |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$326,200±$27k 11% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,629±$247Highest 9% above CT |
| Ledyard and Preston 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 |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$6,371 4% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±27 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Ledyard 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% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
82.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #99 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Suffield School District | Ledyard School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Suffield High School | Ledyard High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.9 |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.