Compare towns
Putnam vs Upton vs Wilbraham vs Thompson
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Wilbraham has the most homeowners (88.8%).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Wilbraham | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
8,189Lowest |
14,572Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±2.7 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Wilbraham 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% |
51.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% 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% |
5.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilbraham 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 13% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$122,051±$14k 51% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Wilbraham 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$416,000±$25k 25% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,175±$241Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344 28% below U.S. |
| Wilbraham and Putnam 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,658 113% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Wilbraham 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Thompson 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #88 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
11.2 |
14.2Highest |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.