Compare towns
Putnam vs Gardner vs Brooklyn
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 affordable homes ($269k median).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
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 | Gardner | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
21,148Highest |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Gardner 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. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Brooklyn 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. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% 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% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Brooklyn 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Gardner | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.