Compare towns
Kent vs Putnam vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kent has the most people working from home (21.5%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Kent | Putnam | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,056Lowest |
9,292 |
15,141Highest |
| Median age | 55.8±4.3Highest 36% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±6.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±3.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Kent and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,064±$16kHighest about the CT average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Kent and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,900±$78kHighest 28% above CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $688±$205Lowest 54% below CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,520Highest 32% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±11.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.9% CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 21.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Kent School District | Putnam School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| 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.