Compare towns

Putnam vs Upton vs Winchester vs Derby

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 expensive homes ($577k median).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).

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.

MeasurePutnamUptonWinchesterDerby
People
Population
9,292
8,189Lowest
10,284
12,487Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
-4.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±3Lowest
12% above U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
49.1±6.2Highest
26% above U.S.
46.4±3.1
19% 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%
15.4%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Upton 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%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
27.4%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.1%±3.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Winchester and Derby 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%
27.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.6%
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%
4.2%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Derby 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.
$66,519±$12kLowest
18% below U.S.
$79,500±$11k
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$249,500±$17kLowest
25% below U.S.
$256,700±$21k
23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,174±$116
17% below U.S.
$1,452±$95Highest
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$4,780
53% above U.S.
$5,510
77% 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%
48.9%±15.8
U.S.: 51.1%
53.9%±12.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Derby and Upton 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%
12.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
61.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.9%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton and Derby 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 #97 of 149 in CT #138 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Explorations District · Regional School District 07 Derby School District
High school in town Putnam High School Blackstone Valley Northwestern Regional High School Derby High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
11.2Highest
9.7
9.7
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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.