Compare towns
Putnam vs Devens vs Plainfield 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).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
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 | Devens | Plainfield | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
1,723Lowest |
15,141Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Devens 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Devens 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. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Devens and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens 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% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | — | Plainfield School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | — | Plainfield High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 10.3Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.