What stands out worked out from the figures below

Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

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	Willimantic	Putnam
People
Population	18,096Highest	9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT	43.7±3Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Willimantic and Putnam 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%	18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	20%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%	3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT	$70,561±$7kHighest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT	$269,200±$11kHighest 27% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% 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	$4,678Highest 30% below CT	$3,860Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%	37.7%±11.6Lowest 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%	11.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	59.8%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT	1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%	9%±2.8Highest CT: 16%
	Putnam and Willimantic 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	—	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Putnam School District
High school in town	—	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.5
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.