Compare towns
Bantam vs Brooklyn vs Putnam vs Norfolk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bantam has the most renters (50.9% rent).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Bantam | Brooklyn | Putnam | Norfolk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 810Lowest |
8,517 |
9,292Highest |
1,723 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 47.2±15.7 15% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
48.2±7.4Highest 17% above CT |
| Norfolk and Bantam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.5 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.8%±4.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn and Bantam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±8.5 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
28.8%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Norfolk and Bantam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
48.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.3 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $96,207±$15kHighest about the CT average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$91,548±$16k 4% below CT |
| Brooklyn and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $317,700±$40k 13% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$430,900±$54kHighest 17% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $688±$106Lowest 54% below CT |
$1,125±$98 24% below CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,190±$116Highest 20% below CT |
| Norfolk and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,984 40% below CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,065Highest 9% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±12.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
27.3%±17Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Bantam and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
7.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 14 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
27 minHighest 3% above CT |
| Work from home | 16%±7.9 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
23.3%±4.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Norfolk and Bantam 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 | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Brooklyn School District | Putnam School District | Norfolk School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.