Compare towns
Putnam vs New Haven vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Haven has the most renters (71.6% rent).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | New Haven | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
134,349Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
31.9±0.5Lowest 22% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| New Haven and Putnam 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% |
11.8%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville 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 CT: 42.5% |
38.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
14.9%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
$56,851±$4kLowest 41% below CT |
$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT |
| Plainville 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±$11k 27% below CT |
$287,100±$16kHighest 22% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| New Haven and Putnam 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 |
$1,488±$33Highest about the CT average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,430Highest 3% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
56.6%±3.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
23.9%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% CT: 66.5% |
28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below CT |
22 min 19% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
13.9%±1.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| New Haven and Plainville 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 | #145 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Wilbur Cross High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.7Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.