Compare towns
Grafton vs Killingly vs Putnam vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (73.2%).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Grafton | Killingly | Putnam | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,902 |
17,867 |
9,292Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6 6% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37k 58% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 6% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Highest 128% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Putnam School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Killingly High School | Putnam High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.1 |
9.5Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.