Compare towns
Putnam vs Brookfield 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).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Brookfield | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
17,706Highest |
10,284 |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester and Brookfield 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% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Brookfield 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 |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Brookfield School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Brookfield High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.7Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.