Compare towns
Thomaston vs Willimantic vs Putnam vs Somers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
Somers has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Thomaston | Willimantic | Putnam | Somers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,492Lowest |
18,096Highest |
9,292 |
10,308 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
43.7±3Highest 6% above CT |
43.1±2.6 5% above CT |
| Putnam and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Somers and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Somers and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34% CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
37.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
$124,705±$15kHighest 30% above CT |
| Somers and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$395,800±$21kHighest 8% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,184±$346Highest 20% below CT |
| Somers and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,915 11% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51.6%±13.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
2.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.7% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
87.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 7.6%±3.7 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
16.2%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
| Somers and Putnam 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | — | #128 of 149 in CT | #66 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Thomaston School District | — | Putnam School District | Somers School District |
| High school in town | Thomaston High School | — | Putnam High School | Somers High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.5 |
7.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.