Compare towns
Putnam vs Chicopee vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Chicopee | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
55,295Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
41.9±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chicopee 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Chicopee 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$62,615±$6kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Putnam 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. |
$274,500±$8kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,157±$50Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chicopee and Plainville 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% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville and Putnam 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 | #247 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Chicopee | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.2 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.