What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Stafford has the most people working from home (11%).

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	Stafford
People
Population	7,120Lowest	11,511Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	41.2±5.1Lowest about the CT average	46.7±4.8Highest 14% above CT
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.5%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2%
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	22%±3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Stafford 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 CT: 42.5%	28.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Putnam and Stafford 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 32% below CT	$93,235±$16kHighest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT	$263,800±$22kHighest 28% below CT
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43Highest 23% below CT	$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT
	Putnam and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT	$5,131Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	41.5%±12.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.7%Highest CT: 10%	7.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	79.5%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below CT	26 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%	11%±3.5Highest CT: 16%
	Stafford and Putnam 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	#96 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Stafford School District
High school in town	—	Stafford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.