Compare towns
Putnam vs Brooklyn vs Lancaster vs Winchester
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%).
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 | Brooklyn | Lancaster | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
8,517Lowest |
8,606 |
10,284Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Brooklyn 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% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest 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%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Lancaster 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% |
27.8% 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% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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 13% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below 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±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below 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. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% 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% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest 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% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 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. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest 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 | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Brooklyn School District | Nashoba | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | — | 9.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.