Compare towns
Putnam vs Scituate 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).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).
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 | Scituate | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
19,365Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.1±3.1 21% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Scituate 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% |
22.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Scituate 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% |
22.2%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Scituate 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% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchester and Scituate 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. |
$136,732±$16kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$847,600±$25kHighest 155% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,609±$311Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$8,807Highest 182% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Winchester 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% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%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. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±4Highest 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Scituate | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Scituate High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.3Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.