Compare towns
Putnam vs Bristol vs Winchester
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 (40.2% rent).
Bristol has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Bristol | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
61,462Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol 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 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Bristol and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
$79,076±$6kHighest 17% below CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Bristol and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$277,800±$8kHighest 24% below CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Bristol and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,338±$45Highest 10% below CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$5,449Highest 18% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
10.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
64.9% CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1967Highest same as CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
24 minLowest 11% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Bristol 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 | #115 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Bristol School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Bristol Central High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
14.0Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.