Compare towns
Putnam vs Chaplin 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).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Chaplin | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
2,070Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Chaplin 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% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin 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% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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 |
$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Chaplin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kHighest 27% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Putnam and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Plainville and Putnam 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% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Parish Hill High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
7.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.