Compare towns
Putnam vs Ellington vs Plainfield 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).
Ellington has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Ellington | Plainfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
16,455 |
15,141 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
40.9±2.4 about the CT average |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Ellington and Plainfield 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% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% CT: 42.5% |
51.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6%±2.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Ellington 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 |
$129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,751Highest about the CT average |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
45.5%±10.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Ellington 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% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
72.2% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
31 minHighest 18% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±3.9Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Ellington School District | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Ellington High School | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
10.3 |
10.3 |
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.