What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

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	Gardner
People
Population	9,292Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3 12% above U.S.	43.7±2.3 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Putnam and Gardner 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%	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gardner and Putnam 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%	23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Putnam and Gardner 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.	$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Putnam and Gardner 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.	$4,150Highest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner 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	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Putnam School District	Gardner
High school in town	Putnam High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	13.5Highest
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.