What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Barkhamsted has the most people working from home (20.3%).

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	Putnam	Barkhamsted
People
Population	7,120Highest	3,678Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	41.2±5.1Lowest about the CT average	50.2±3.3Highest 22% above CT
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2%	16.4%±3.9Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Putnam and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	27.2%±7.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Barkhamsted and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%	54.3%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.3%±2.7Highest CT: 7.1%
	Barkhamsted and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT	$123,544±$9kHighest 29% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT	$368,000±$15kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT	$1,164±$114Highest 22% below CT
	Barkhamsted and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT	$6,354Highest 4% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	28.8%±35.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Putnam and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.7%Highest CT: 10%	3.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	92.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below CT	28 minHighest 6% above CT
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%	20.3%±7.1Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#128 of 149 in CT	#63 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Barkhamsted School District
High school in town	—	None in town
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.