What stands out worked out from the figures below

Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Columbia	Putnam
People
Population	5,300Lowest	7,120Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.1% CT: +0.9%
Median age	51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT	41.2±5.1Lowest about the CT average
	Columbia and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.9%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2%
	Putnam and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5%	17%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Columbia and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Columbia and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT	$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT	$1,147±$43Highest 23% below CT
	Putnam and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,228Highest 21% below CT	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6%	38.2%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Putnam and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.1%Lowest CT: 10%	11.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.3%Highest CT: 66.5%	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 21% above CT	25 minLowest 5% below CT
Work from home	21.6%±6Highest CT: 16%	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#114 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Columbia School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.