Compare towns
Winchester vs Lancaster vs Putnam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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.
| Measure | Winchester | Lancaster | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,284Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780 53% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #97 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Nashoba | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.