Compare towns
Putnam vs Reading vs Winchester
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Reading | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
25,612Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchester 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±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchester and Putnam 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | — | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | — | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 9.7Highest |
| 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.