Compare towns
Griswold vs Needham vs Putnam vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Griswold | Needham | Putnam | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
32,459Highest |
9,292Lowest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester 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 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Winchester 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 about the U.S. average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 48% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Needham | Putnam School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Needham High | Putnam High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
11.9Highest |
9.5Lowest |
9.7 |
| 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.