What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most homeowners (50.7%).

Willimantic has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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	Willimantic
People
Population	7,120Lowest	18,096Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	41.2±5.1Highest about the CT average	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Willimantic 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%	11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%	24.2%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,511±$7kHighest 32% below CT	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,100±$13kHighest 33% below CT	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,147±$43Highest 23% below CT	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT
	Putnam and Willimantic 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	$4,678Highest 30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Willimantic 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%	23.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 11 yrs older than CT	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below CT	23 minLowest 12% below CT
Work from home	6.7%±2.7Highest CT: 16%	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%
	Putnam and Willimantic 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	—
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.