What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lebanon has the most people working from home (20.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lebanon	Putnam
People
Population	7,116Lowest	9,292Highest
Median age	46.9±2.7Highest 14% above CT	43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT
	Lebanon and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.4%±3.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Putnam and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Lebanon and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2.3Lowest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%
	Putnam and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,135±$19kHighest 14% above CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$345,900±$40kHighest 6% below CT	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,630±$534Highest 10% above CT	$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT
	Lebanon and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,646Highest 15% below CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33%±18.9Lowest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Putnam and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 15% above CT	25 minLowest 6% below CT
Work from home	20.5%±7.9Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#74 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Lebanon School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Lyman Memorial High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	9.5Highest
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.