What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).

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	Sterling
People
Population	7,120Highest	3,629Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	41.2±5.1Highest about the CT average	39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT
	Putnam and Sterling 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%	22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sterling and Putnam 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%	13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Putnam and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Highest CT: 42.5%	18%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Putnam and Sterling 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	$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT	$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43 23% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,564Lowest 46% below CT	$4,551Highest 31% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Putnam and Sterling 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%	8.3%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	81.1%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below CT	35 minHighest 34% above CT
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%	11.6%±6.4Highest CT: 16%
	Sterling 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	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Sterling School District
High school in town	—	None in town
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.