What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bolton has the most people working from home (20.7%).

Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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	Bolton	Putnam
People
Population	4,853Lowest	9,292Highest
Median age	43.7±3.3 6% above CT	43.7±3 6% above CT
Kids under 18	20%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bolton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.4Highest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bolton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.3%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±2.6Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bolton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$126,364±$19kHighest 32% above CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$367,600±$17kHighest about the CT average	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT	$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT
	Putnam and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,091Highest 22% above CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±30.8Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bolton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 min 6% below CT	25 min 6% below CT
Work from home	20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#79 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Bolton School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Bolton High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.4Lowest	9.5Highest
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.