Compare towns

Putnam vs Stafford vs Upton vs Killingly

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).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).

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.

MeasurePutnamStaffordUptonKillingly
People
Population
9,292
11,511
8,189Lowest
17,867Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
46.7±4.8Highest
20% above U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
Stafford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.5%±3.1
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Stafford 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%±3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Stafford and Upton 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%
28.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.5%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Killingly 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±$7kLowest
13% below U.S.
$93,235±$16k
15% above U.S.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$263,800±$22kLowest
21% below U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44Highest
19% below U.S.
$1,086±$85
23% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,044±$141
26% below U.S.
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
24% above U.S.
$5,131
65% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.5%±12.2
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Upton and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #96 of 149 in CT #46 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Stafford School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town Putnam High School Stafford High School Blackstone Valley Killingly High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
9.8
11.2Highest
11.1
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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.