What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).

Putnam has the most kids (18.6% under 18).

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	Plainville	Putnam
People
Population	17,551Highest	9,292Lowest
Median age	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT	43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT
	Plainville and Putnam 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%	18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
	Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT	$269,200±$11kHighest 27% below CT
	Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT	$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT
	Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Highest 28% below CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	10.7%±2Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
	Plainville and Putnam 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
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Plainville High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.