Compare towns
Putnam vs Douglas vs Plainfield vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Douglas | Plainfield | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,120Lowest |
9,207 |
15,141Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Douglas 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 19% below U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43 19% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Thompson 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Douglas | Plainfield School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Plainfield High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
10.3Highest |
7.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.