Compare towns
Putnam vs Durham vs Brooklyn vs Plainville
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).
Durham has the most people working from home (20%).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Durham | Brooklyn | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
3,347Lowest |
8,517 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +28.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
47.9±5.4Highest 17% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Durham and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
15%±4.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn 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 CT: 18.5% |
19.1%±4.5 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
42.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Brooklyn 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 |
$152,396±$32kHighest 59% above CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$401,700±$32kHighest 9% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,625±$1kHighest 9% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Durham 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 |
$7,107Highest 7% above CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.7%±35Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Durham and Plainville 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% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
24 min 10% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
20%±6.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Durham and Brooklyn 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | — | Brooklyn School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | — | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | — | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.