Compare towns

Putnam vs Hingham vs Plainville

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 renters (40.2% rent).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

MeasurePutnamHinghamPlainville
People
Population
9,292Lowest
24,283Highest
17,551
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+9.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3Lowest
12% above U.S.
48.4±2.4Highest
24% above U.S.
44.3±1.5
14% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Hingham and Putnam 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%
26%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
76.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainville and Putnam 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.
$178,390±$15kHighest
121% above U.S.
$84,343±$7k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$1,134,200±$47kHighest
241% above U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$2,465±$603Highest
74% above U.S.
$1,126±$147Lowest
20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,798
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
60.3%±12Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Hingham and Plainville 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%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
33.1%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #14 of 282 in MA #89 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Hingham Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town Putnam High School Hingham High Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
12.9Highest
11.4
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.