Compare towns
Putnam vs Killingly vs Gardner
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).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Killingly | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
17,867 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly 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% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Gardner 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. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Putnam School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Gardner |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Killingly High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.1 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.