Compare towns

Putnam vs Ware vs Killingly 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 most renters (40.2% rent).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
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.

MeasurePutnamWareKillinglyWinchester
People
Population
9,292Lowest
10,048
17,867Highest
10,284
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
49.1±6.2Highest
26% above U.S.
Winchester and Putnam 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%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.4%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Killingly and Ware 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%
20.6%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
27.4%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Winchester and Ware 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%
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
27.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Killingly and Ware 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.
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$84,350±$8kHighest
4% above U.S.
$66,519±$12kLowest
18% below U.S.
Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$289,700±$28kHighest
13% below U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$249,500±$17kLowest
25% below U.S.
Ware and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,044±$141
26% below U.S.
$1,174±$116Highest
17% below U.S.
Winchester 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.
$4,237
36% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
$4,780Highest
53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
48.9%±15.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware 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%
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
65.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
28 minHighest
8% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
6.9%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Ware and Killingly 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 #267 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT #97 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Ware Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Explorations District · Regional School District 07
High school in town Putnam High School Ware Junior/Senior High School Killingly High School Northwestern Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
11.1Highest
11.1Highest
9.7
On TownTapestry
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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.