Compare towns
Putnam vs Wallingford vs Orwell
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 highest household income ($92k).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Orwell has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Wallingford | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 540Lowest |
2,286Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.5±7 22% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orwell and Wallingford 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% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orwell 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. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Wallingford 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. |
$261,900±$44kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$335,600±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Orwell and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,105±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orwell and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | 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.