What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

Putnam has the most renters (49.3% 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	Bristol	Putnam
People
Population	61,462Highest	7,120Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest CT: +0.9%	-2.1%Lowest CT: +0.9%
Median age	37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT	41.2±5.1Highest about the CT average
	Putnam and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2%	18.9%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bristol and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	17%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%
	Putnam and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Highest CT: 42.5%	18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bristol and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,076±$6kHighest 17% below CT	$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$277,800±$8kHighest 24% below CT	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,338±$45Highest 10% below CT	$1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,449Highest 18% below CT	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6%	38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bristol and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest CT: 10%	11.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest same as CT	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below CT	25 minHighest 5% below CT
Work from home	11.4%±1.7Highest CT: 16%	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Bristol School District	—
High school in town	Bristol Central High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0	—
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.