Compare towns
Putnam vs Ware vs Whately
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 kids (19.1% under 18).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
10,048Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.3±6.7Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Whately 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%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest 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%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$116,563±$15kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$431,500±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$977±$125Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware 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. |
$5,027Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±29Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Putnam 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% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whately and Ware 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 | — |
| School district | Putnam School District | Ware | Whately |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.