Compare towns
Ashford vs Putnam vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Ashford | Putnam | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
9,292 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest 8% below CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest 9% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 16% below CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Ashford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Ashford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Putnam School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.