Compare towns
Putnam vs Sterling vs Windsor Locks
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).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
3,629Lowest |
12,579Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Highest 6% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 26% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Sterling and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
| Sterling and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
— | $1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 42% below CT |
$4,551Highest 31% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Sterling School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.