What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most kids (18.6% under 18).

Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Putnam	Hampton
People
Population	9,292Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.1% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Putnam and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S.	$95,233±$9kHighest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#128 of 149 in CT	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Putnam School District	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Putnam High School	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	10.1Highest
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.