What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portland has the most people working from home (18.5%).

Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).

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	Portland	Putnam
People
Population	9,434Highest	9,292Lowest
Median age	41.6±2Lowest about the CT average	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
	Putnam and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.3%±3.7Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Portland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.7%±2.9Highest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Portland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.6%±2.9Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Portland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,929±$15kHighest 24% above CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$337,400±$36kHighest 8% below CT	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,129±$62Lowest 24% below CT	$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT
	Putnam and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,461Highest about the CT average	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.1%±20.8Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Portland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961 6 yrs older than CT	1961 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 7% above CT	25 minLowest 6% below CT
Work from home	18.5%±4.8Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#61 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Portland School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Portland High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.