Compare towns
Putnam vs Beacon Falls vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Putnam | Beacon Falls | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,120 |
6,147Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 about the CT average |
48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Beacon Falls and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.3 CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Beacon Falls 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% CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Beacon Falls 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 |
$101,516±$42kHighest 6% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Beacon Falls and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT |
$350,300±$34kHighest 5% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,564Lowest 46% below CT |
$6,534Highest about the CT average |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Beacon Falls and Plainfield 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% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
85.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls and Plainfield 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Regional School District 16 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Woodland Regional High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.