Compare towns
Putnam vs Stepney vs Brooklyn vs Winchester
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).
Stepney has the highest household income ($154k).
Brooklyn has the most people working from home (10.7%).
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 | Stepney | Brooklyn | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
3,979Lowest |
8,517 |
10,284Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
47.1±5.6 15% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester and Stepney 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% |
21.1%±5.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Stepney and Brooklyn 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% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
54.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney and Brooklyn 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 |
$153,966±$16kHighest 61% above CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.3% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
96.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Brooklyn and Stepney 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 | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | — | Brooklyn School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | — | None in town | 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 | 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.