Compare towns
Voluntown vs Putnam vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Voluntown | Putnam | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,604Lowest |
9,292Highest |
7,195 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±1.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Voluntown and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$111,250±$30kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,100±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$191 17% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,317±$307Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,955 59% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #53 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #14 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Voluntown School District | Putnam School District | Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.