Compare towns
Putnam vs Winchester vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).
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 | Winchester | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,120Lowest |
10,284 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 about the CT average |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Winchester 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 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% CT: 42.5% |
27.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Putnam 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 |
$66,519±$12k 31% below CT |
$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT |
$249,500±$17k 32% below CT |
$272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT |
| Plainfield and Winchester 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 |
$4,780Highest 28% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Winchester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 11 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7 CT: 16% |
10%±4Highest CT: 16% |
| Plainfield and Winchester 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Northwestern Regional High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.