Compare towns
Plainville vs Putnam vs Thomaston
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 most people working from home (10.7%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Putnam | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
9,292 |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
| 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%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Thomaston 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% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Thomaston 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 |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
| Thomaston and Plainville 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±$11k 27% below CT |
$282,600±$23kHighest 23% below CT |
| Thomaston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% 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 | $4,798 28% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$5,915Highest 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston 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% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Putnam School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Putnam High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.5Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.