Compare towns
Putnam vs Ayer vs Plainville
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 (40.2% rent).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Ayer | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
8,645Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.