Compare towns
Putnam vs Gardner 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
21,148Highest |
10,284 |
| 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. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest 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%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%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% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Winchester 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±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% 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±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Winchester and Putnam 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. |
$4,780Highest 53% 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% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Winchester 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% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest 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 | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Gardner | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Gardner High | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.