Compare towns
Putnam vs Needham vs Killingly
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
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 | Needham | Killingly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
32,459Highest |
17,867 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Killingly 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Needham | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Needham High | Killingly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.