Compare towns
Willimantic vs Middlebury vs Putnam
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).
Middlebury has the highest household income ($133k).
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 | Willimantic | Middlebury | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Highest |
7,807Lowest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
44.4±2.3Highest 8% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
| Middlebury and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22%±3.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Middlebury and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
53.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±2.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$133,487±$26kHighest 39% above CT |
$70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$476,400±$23kHighest 30% above CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$1,149±$44Highest 23% below CT |
| Putnam and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$8,434Highest 27% above CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
5.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
25 minHighest 5% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.3%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #55 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Regional School District 15 | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| 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.