What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Haven has the most people working from home (13.9%).

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

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	New Haven	Putnam
People
Population	134,349Highest	9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	31.9±0.5Lowest 22% below CT	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	New Haven and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.8%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.9%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,851±$4kLowest 41% below CT	$70,561±$7kHighest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$287,100±$16kHighest 22% below CT	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
	New Haven and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,488±$33Highest about the CT average	$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,430Highest 3% below CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.6%±3.2Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	23.9%Highest CT: 10%	11.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT	1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 19% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	13.9%±1.6Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#145 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Wilbur Cross High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.7Highest	9.5Lowest
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.