Compare towns
Putnam vs Sterling vs Sutton
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).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sterling | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
3,629Lowest |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Putnam 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. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Putnam School District | Sterling School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.