Compare towns
Chester vs Putnam vs Windsor vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Chester | Putnam | Windsor | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,825 |
9,292 |
29,468Highest |
2,303Lowest |
| Median age | 54±3.4 31% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
43.7±1.9Lowest 6% above CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4 CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20%±2 CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
43.2% CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,191±$18k 14% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
$135,000±$22kHighest 41% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25k 21% above CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$247 4% above CT |
$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,681±$62 13% above CT |
$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT |
| Lyme and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364 4% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$5,351 19% below CT |
$7,328Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Chester and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
6.7% CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.4% CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
21 minLowest 19% below CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Lyme and Chester 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 | #8 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Chester School District | Putnam School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Regional School District 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Windsor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.2Highest |
— |
| 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.