Compare towns
Putnam vs Stepney vs Plainville
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).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
3,979Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Stepney and Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Stepney and Putnam 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%±4.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville 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% |
54.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney and Plainville 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 |
$153,966±$16kHighest 61% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Plainville 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% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
96.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Highest CT: 16% |
| Plainville 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | — | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.