Compare towns
Putnam vs Dedham vs Plainville vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Dedham | Plainville | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
25,237Highest |
17,551 |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Dedham 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% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Dedham 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. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Winchester 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Dedham | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Dedham High | Plainville High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
10.4 |
11.4Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.