Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ware vs Putnam vs Montville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Montville has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Ware | Putnam | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
10,048 |
9,292Lowest |
17,950Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.8±4.1 10% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Montville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$96,454±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$285,600±$13k 14% below U.S. |
| Ware and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,187±$99 16% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,565Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Plainfield 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Ware | Putnam School District | Montville School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Putnam High School | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
11.1Highest |
9.5 |
9.2Lowest |
| 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.