Compare towns
Putnam vs Orange vs Winchester vs Griswold
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
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 | Orange | Winchester | Griswold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
14,315Highest |
10,284 |
11,530 |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
| Winchester and Griswold 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% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange 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% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
19.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Winchester 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 26% below CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$78,719±$11k 18% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,177±$65 21% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
$4,628 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
57.5%±15.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
7.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
73.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
26 min about the CT average |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
9%±3.6 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT | #118 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Griswold School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School | Griswold High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 9.7 |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.