Compare towns

Putnam vs Brooklyn vs Lancaster

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).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

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.

MeasurePutnamBrooklynLancaster
People
Population
9,292Highest
8,517Lowest
8,606
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+4.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
45.6±2.5Highest
17% above U.S.
43.1±4.9Lowest
11% above U.S.
Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±4
U.S.: 22%
Brooklyn and Lancaster 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%
17.6%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.9%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Lancaster 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%
23.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
50.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brooklyn and Putnam 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.
$96,207±$15k
19% above U.S.
$134,833±$27kHighest
67% above U.S.
Lancaster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$315,200±$28k
5% below U.S.
$519,100±$60kHighest
56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,125±$98Lowest
20% below U.S.
$2,338±$539Highest
65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$4,538
45% above U.S.
$7,235Highest
132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.5%±19.3
U.S.: 51.1%
68.3%±36.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Lancaster and Brooklyn 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%
2.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
1.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
85.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
32 minHighest
20% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
33.6%±9.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #113 of 149 in CT #145 of 282 in MA
School district Putnam School District Brooklyn School District Nashoba
High school in town Putnam High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5
— —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet 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.