What stands out worked out from the figures below

Tolland has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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	Tolland	Putnam
People
Population	14,606Highest	9,292Lowest
Median age	41.4±2.5Lowest about the CT average	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
	Putnam and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±3Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Tolland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Putnam and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.4%±2.3Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Tolland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$133,264±$16kHighest 39% above CT	$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,500±$21kHighest about the CT average	$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,680±$119Highest 13% above CT	$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,403Highest 11% above CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.5%±62.4Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Tolland and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest CT: 10%	11.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 14 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above CT	25 minLowest 6% below CT
Work from home	20.6%±3.6Highest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 149 in CT	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	Tolland School District	Putnam School District
High school in town	Tolland High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	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.