Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Putnam vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Brooklyn | Putnam | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
9,292 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Putnam School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.