Compare towns
Griswold vs Chester vs Putnam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).
Chester has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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.
| Measure | Griswold | Chester | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
3,825Lowest |
9,292 |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
54±3.4Highest 31% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
| Chester and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
17.5%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
26.8%±4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4%±2.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Chester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11k 18% below CT |
$109,191±$18kHighest 14% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
$442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 21% below CT |
$1,549±$247Highest 4% above CT |
$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 30% below CT |
$6,364Highest 4% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.4%±22.1 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Griswold and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.8%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.2% CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above CT |
28 min 7% above CT |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
18.3%±5.6Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | #8 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Chester School District | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.