Compare towns
Putnam vs Canterbury vs Plainville
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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).
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 | Canterbury | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
5,124Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
48.4±4.5Highest 18% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Canterbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Plainville 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% |
25.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Canterbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
26.2% CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±2 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Canterbury 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 26% below CT |
$103,198±$6kHighest 8% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$334,200±$12kHighest 9% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT |
$924±$367Lowest 38% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,140 38% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40%±13 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Plainville and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
88.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
14.7%±5.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Canterbury and Plainville 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 | #125 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Canterbury School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.