Compare towns
Plainfield vs Putnam vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Plainfield | Putnam | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
7,120Lowest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
41.2±5.1 about the CT average |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.9%±4.3 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
18.8% CT: 42.5% |
27.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT |
$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT |
$66,519±$12k 31% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT |
$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT |
$249,500±$17k 32% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
$1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$3,564Lowest 46% below CT |
$4,780Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Winchester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.7% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
25 minLowest 5% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10%±4Highest CT: 16% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7 CT: 16% |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.