What stands out worked out from the figures below

South Windsor has the most people working from home (27.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	South Windsor	Putnam
People
Population	26,907Highest	9,292Lowest
Median age	41.2±1.3Lowest about the CT average	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
	Putnam and South Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.4%±2Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	South Windsor and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.8%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Putnam and South Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	58.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	South Windsor and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$144,961±$10kHighest 51% above CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$12kHighest about the CT average	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,864±$214Highest 25% above CT	$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,888Highest 19% above CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.9%±10.7Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	South Windsor and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 13 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	27.5%±3.2Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#40 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Capitol Region Education Council · South Windsor School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	South Windsor High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.