Compare towns

Putnam vs Hamden vs Griswold

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).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).

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.

MeasurePutnamHamdenGriswold
People
Population
9,292Lowest
61,045Highest
11,530
Median age
43.7±3
6% above CT
38.7±0.9Lowest
6% below CT
48.1±3.9Highest
17% above CT
Griswold 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
CT: 20.2%
17%±1.5Lowest
CT: 20.2%
18.5%±3.7
CT: 20.2%
Putnam and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1Highest
CT: 18.5%
18.1%±1.3
CT: 18.5%
17.8%±3.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Putnam and Hamden 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%
47.8%Highest
CT: 42.5%
19.9%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
CT: 7.1%
15%±1.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
1.8%±1.1Lowest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,561±$7kLowest
26% below CT
$98,306±$7kHighest
about the CT average
$78,719±$11k
18% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11kLowest
27% below CT
$298,200±$9kHighest
19% below CT
$275,900±$42k
25% below CT
Hamden and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44Lowest
23% below CT
$1,746±$50Highest
17% above CT
$1,177±$65
21% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
42% below CT
$7,784Highest
17% above CT
$4,628
30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
CT: 52.6%
50.9%±5.4
CT: 52.6%
57.5%±15.5Highest
CT: 52.6%
Griswold and Hamden 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%
9.3%
CT: 10%
7.6%Lowest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
62.4%
CT: 66.5%
73.3%Highest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
6 yrs older than CT
1964
3 yrs older than CT
1977Highest
10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below CT
22 minLowest
18% below CT
31 minHighest
17% above CT
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
CT: 16%
16.3%±2.1Highest
CT: 16%
9%±3.6Lowest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #122 of 149 in CT #118 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services Griswold School District
High school in town Putnam High School Hamden High School Griswold High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
13.5Highest
11.5
On TownTapestry
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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.