Compare towns
Putnam vs Hamden vs Griswold vs Thompson
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%).
Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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.
| Measure | Putnam | Hamden | Griswold | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
61,045Highest |
11,530 |
9,337 |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
| Thompson and Griswold 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%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest 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%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Thompson 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% CT: 42.5% |
47.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
19.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
21.9% 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% |
2.9%±1.3 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 |
$93,629±$18k about the CT average |
| Hamden and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$298,200±$9kHighest 19% below CT |
$275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
| Hamden and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,177±$65 21% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 42% below CT |
$7,784Highest 17% above CT |
$4,628 30% below CT |
$3,822Lowest 42% 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% |
54%±18.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Griswold and Thompson 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% CT: 10% |
5.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
73.3% CT: 66.5% |
84.3%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 |
1963 4 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
31 min 17% above CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4 CT: 16% |
| Hamden and Thompson 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 | #122 of 149 in CT | #118 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Griswold School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Hamden High School | Griswold High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
13.5Highest |
11.5 |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.