Compare towns
Putnam vs Northbridge 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).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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.
| Measure | Putnam | Northbridge | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,120 |
16,458Highest |
5,575Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
37.5±7.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Putnam 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$91,114±$12k 13% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,357±$116Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Willington and Northbridge 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. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$5,419Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Willington 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Willington School District |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.