Compare towns
Putnam vs Bristol vs Windsor Locks
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).
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Bristol | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,120Lowest |
61,462Highest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+0.6%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 about the CT average |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol 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% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
30.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT |
$79,076±$6k 17% below CT |
$81,205±$13kHighest 15% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Bristol 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 |
$277,800±$8kHighest 24% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
| Bristol and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,338±$45 10% below CT |
$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Bristol 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 |
$5,449Highest 18% below CT |
$3,688 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Bristol 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% |
10.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
64.9% CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1967Highest same as CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Bristol School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | — | Bristol Central High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.