What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).

Stafford has the most homeowners (79.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Putnam	Stafford
People
Population	9,292Lowest	11,511Highest
Median age	43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT	46.7±4.8Highest 14% above CT
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.5%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2%
	Stafford 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 CT: 18.5%	22%±3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Stafford 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%	28.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Putnam and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT	$93,235±$16kHighest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kHighest 27% below CT	$263,800±$22kLowest 28% below CT
	Putnam and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT	$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT
	Putnam and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT	$5,131Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%	41.5%±12.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest CT: 10%	7.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%	79.5%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below CT	26 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%	11%±3.5Highest CT: 16%
	Stafford and Putnam 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	#96 of 149 in CT
School district	Putnam School District	Stafford School District
High school in town	Putnam High School	Stafford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	9.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.