Compare towns

Putnam vs Webster vs Whitman vs Killingly

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).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Killingly has the most people working from home (11.1%).

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.

MeasurePutnamWebsterWhitmanKillingly
People
Population
9,292Lowest
17,748
15,295
17,867Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
39.9±2.9
about the U.S. average
40.4±1.8
4% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
Putnam and Whitman 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%
19.6%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Whitman and Killingly 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%
19.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Killingly and Webster 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%
25.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
31.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,561±$7kLowest
13% below U.S.
$72,895±$6k
10% below U.S.
$108,933±$14kHighest
35% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$361,500±$12k
9% above U.S.
$472,700±$12kHighest
42% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,228±$81
13% below U.S.
$1,771±$151Highest
25% above U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$3,999
28% above U.S.
$5,824Highest
87% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.7%±6.7
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±13.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Whitman and Webster 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%
12.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1962
18 yrs older than U.S.
1957Lowest
23 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
31 min
16% above U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
8%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.8%±2.4
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Killingly and Whitman 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 #271 of 282 in MA #191 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Webster Whitman-Hanson Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town Putnam High School Bartlett High School None in town Killingly High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
11.6Highest
—
11.1
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.