Compare towns
Winsted 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
Winsted has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Winsted | Lancaster | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,977Lowest |
8,606 |
9,292Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.6±7.3Highest 22% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Winsted and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.3Lowest 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+ | 25%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winsted and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winsted and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,871±$12kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,900±$14kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$130 16% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,754Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Winsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 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 | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Nashoba | 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 |
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.