Compare towns

Putnam vs Sutton vs Plainville

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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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.

MeasurePutnamSuttonPlainville
People
Population
9,292
2,239Lowest
17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3Lowest
12% above U.S.
48.1±4.1Highest
24% above U.S.
44.3±1.5
14% above U.S.
Sutton 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
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Sutton and Putnam 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%
21.6%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Sutton and Plainville 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%
44.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainville and Sutton 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.
$130,313±$31kHighest
61% above U.S.
$84,343±$7k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$362,600±$16kHighest
9% above U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,656±$614Highest
17% above U.S.
$1,126±$147Lowest
20% 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.
$7,652Highest
145% above U.S.
$4,798
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±47.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Plainville 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%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Sutton and Plainville 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 Kearsarge Regional School District Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town Putnam High School Kearsarge Regional High School Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
10.4
11.4Highest
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.