Compare towns
Putnam vs Ware vs Plainville vs Griswold
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%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Griswold has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Ware | Plainville | Griswold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
10,048 |
17,551Highest |
11,530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Griswold and Plainville 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%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Putnam 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Plainville 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$78,719±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Griswold 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
| Ware and Griswold 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. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,177±$65Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Griswold 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,628 48% 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% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Griswold 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #118 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Ware | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Griswold School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainville High School | Griswold High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.1 |
11.4 |
11.5Highest |
| 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.