Compare towns
Putnam vs Cornish vs Benson
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 (21 min average).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Cornish | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 540Lowest |
1,816Highest |
784 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 38% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,344±$14kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$78,625±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$48k 20% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cornish School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.