Compare towns
Buckland vs Putnam vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckland has the most people working from home (14.1%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Sheffield has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
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 | Buckland | Putnam | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,036Lowest |
9,292Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.4Highest 27% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.2±8 24% above U.S. |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sheffield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,877±$6k about the U.S. average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$92,120±$31kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,400±$25k 3% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$409,400±$32kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$213Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,837±$1kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,761Highest 53% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,520 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Buckland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Buckland and Putnam 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 | — | #128 of 149 in CT | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Putnam School District | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | Mohawk Trail Regional School | Putnam High School | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
9.5Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.