Compare towns

Putnam vs Killingly vs Wakefield vs Willington

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).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Willington has the youngest population (median age 37.5).

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.

MeasurePutnamKillinglyWakefieldWillington
People
Population
7,120
17,867
27,793Highest
5,575Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+8.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
41.2±5.1
6% above U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
42.4±1.7Highest
9% above U.S.
37.5±7.2Lowest
4% below U.S.
Wakefield 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
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
20%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
12.8%±4.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Wakefield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±1.9
U.S.: 17.2%
23.3%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Willington and Killingly 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
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
59.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
33.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.2%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
14.6%±6.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$65,511±$7kLowest
19% below U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$134,306±$14kHighest
66% above U.S.
$91,114±$12k
13% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$245,100±$13kLowest
26% below U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$723,500±$24kHighest
117% above U.S.
$305,800±$48k
8% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,147±$43
19% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,958±$102Highest
39% above U.S.
$1,357±$116
4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,564Lowest
14% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
$7,779Highest
149% above U.S.
$5,419
74% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.2%±12.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
43.7%±7.9
U.S.: 51.1%
70%±20.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Willington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
64%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1956Lowest
24 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1956Lowest
24 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.7%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
24.6%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #136 of 149 in CT #179 of 282 in MA #104 of 149 in CT
School district — Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield Willington School District
High school in town — Killingly High School Northeast Metro Regional Vocational None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Highest
10.7Lowest
—
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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.