Compare towns

Redding vs Plainville vs Putnam

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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.

MeasureReddingPlainvillePutnam
People
Population
8,780Lowest
17,551Highest
9,292
Median age
52±2Highest
27% above CT
44.3±1.5
8% above CT
43.7±3Lowest
6% above CT
Kids under 18
19.1%±2.8Highest
CT: 20.2%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
CT: 20.2%
18.6%±3.6
CT: 20.2%
Redding and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
26.4%±3.3Highest
CT: 18.5%
20.1%±2.8
CT: 18.5%
18.5%±3.1Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
72.1%Highest
CT: 42.5%
30%
CT: 42.5%
20%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1.8Lowest
CT: 7.1%
6.2%±1.6Highest
CT: 7.1%
3.9%±1.4
CT: 7.1%
Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$186,060±$15kHighest
94% above CT
$84,343±$7k
12% below CT
$70,561±$7kLowest
26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$706,300±$33kHighest
93% above CT
$254,000±$14kLowest
31% below CT
$269,200±$11k
27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,101±$304Highest
41% above CT
$1,126±$147Lowest
24% below CT
$1,149±$44
23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 51% above CT
$4,798
28% below CT
$3,860Lowest
42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64.9%±19.3Highest
CT: 52.6%
40.3%±12.4
CT: 52.6%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
CT: 52.6%
Redding and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4%Lowest
CT: 10%
6.5%
CT: 10%
11.5%Highest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.6%Highest
CT: 66.5%
67.7%
CT: 66.5%
59.8%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972Highest
5 yrs newer than CT
1971
4 yrs newer than CT
1961Lowest
6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
36% above CT
21 minLowest
20% below CT
25 min
6% below CT
Work from home
32.5%±4.9Highest
CT: 16%
10.7%±2
CT: 16%
9%±2.8Lowest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #14 of 149 in CT #89 of 149 in CT #128 of 149 in CT
School district Redding School District · Regional School District 09 Judicial Centers · Plainville School District Putnam School District
High school in town Joel Barlow High School Plainville High School Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1
11.4Highest
9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

CT 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.