Compare towns
Plainville vs Chaplin vs Putnam vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Southington has the most expensive homes ($374k median).
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 | Plainville | Chaplin | Putnam | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
2,070Lowest |
9,292 |
43,803Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Southington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Southington and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Southington and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
43.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$124,309±$9kHighest 30% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$373,800±$10kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
| Chaplin and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 28% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,206Highest 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Southington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin and Southington 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | — | #128 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Putnam School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Parish Hill High School | Putnam High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
7.5Lowest |
9.5 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.