Compare towns

Putnam vs Ware vs Webster

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).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).

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.

MeasurePutnamWareWebster
People
Population
9,292Lowest
10,048
12,228Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
37.2±2.1Lowest
4% below U.S.
Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
Webster and Ware 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%
15.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ware and Putnam 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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
18.8%Lowest
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%
6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster 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±$7kHighest
13% below U.S.
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$63,837±$8kLowest
21% below U.S.
Putnam and Ware 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.
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
$333,100±$14kHighest
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,198±$85Highest
15% below U.S.
Webster 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.
$4,237Highest
36% above U.S.
$3,234Lowest
4% 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%
46.1%±7.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
16%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
45.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Highest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1954Lowest
26 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
4% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Ware and Putnam 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 #271 of 282 in MA
School district Putnam School District Ware —
High school in town Putnam High School Ware Junior/Senior High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
11.1Highest
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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.