What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most kids (18.9% under 18).

Middletown has the most people working from home (14.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Putnam	Middletown
People
Population	7,120Lowest	47,958Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+0.1%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	41.2±5.1Highest about the CT average	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT
	Putnam and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2%	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Putnam and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%	16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Putnam and Middletown 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%	40.2%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT	$79,438±$6kHighest 17% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT	$295,300±$11kHighest 20% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT	$1,446±$45Highest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT	$6,412Highest 3% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	47.7%±5.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Middletown and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.7%Lowest CT: 10%	12%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	52.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below CT	23 minLowest 12% below CT
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%	14.1%±1.8Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#128 of 149 in CT	#121 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
High school in town	—	Middletown High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
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.