Compare towns
Putnam vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,120 |
25,612Highest |
5,575Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.5±7.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Putnam 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% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$91,114±$12k 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,357±$116 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,419 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Putnam 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 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% |
30.2%±4.1Highest 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Reading | Willington School District |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.