What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Crystal Lake has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

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	Crystal Lake
People
Population	7,120Highest	2,024Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+10.6%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	41.2±5.1Lowest about the CT average	48.9±7.6Highest 19% above CT
	Crystal Lake and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake and Putnam 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%	23.3%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Crystal Lake 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%	45.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.3%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%
	Crystal Lake 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	$143,882±$29kHighest 50% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT	$361,800±$35kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43 23% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT	$7,146Highest 8% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Putnam and Crystal Lake 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%	1.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below CT	39 minHighest 47% above CT
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%	17.5%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Crystal Lake 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	#128 of 149 in CT	—
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.