What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).

Dalton has the most people working from home (12.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Putnam	Dalton
People
Population	9,292Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-6.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S.	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.
	Dalton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton 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%	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Putnam and Dalton 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 13% below U.S.	$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
	Dalton 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±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$295,700±$26kHighest 11% below U.S.
	Dalton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S.	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.	$4,276Highest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton 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 U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dalton 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	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Putnam School District	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Putnam High School	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.