Compare towns
Putnam vs Upton vs Webster vs Winchester
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Upton | Webster | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
8,189Lowest |
17,748Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Webster 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Winchester 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Webster and Winchester 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Winchester 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.2 |
11.6Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.