Compare towns
Putnam vs Thompson vs Webster vs Webster
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Thompson has the most people working from home (13.1%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k 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 | Thompson | Webster | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
9,337 |
12,228 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Webster 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Webster 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% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Webster 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 13% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
| Thompson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,999Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson and Putnam 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Putnam School District | Thompson School District | — | Webster |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
7.9Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.