Compare towns
Putnam vs Cornwall vs Plainville vs Griswold
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 renters (40.2% rent).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Cornwall | Plainville | Griswold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
1,425Lowest |
17,551Highest |
11,530 |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
53.9±5.1Highest 31% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
| Cornwall and Griswold 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% |
14.9%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
29.4%±2.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% CT: 42.5% |
59.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
19.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±3 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Cornwall 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 |
$128,864±$34kHighest 35% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$78,719±$11k 18% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$554,600±$106kHighest 51% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,047±$121Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,177±$65Highest 21% below CT |
| Griswold and Putnam 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 |
$5,792Highest 13% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
$4,628 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
46.8%±31.9 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Griswold and Cornwall 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% |
8.2% CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
7.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
73.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
30 min 13% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
32.4%±13.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #118 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Cornwall School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Griswold School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Plainville High School | Griswold High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.