Cost of living in Putnam research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Putnam is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Connecticut, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Putnam is 106, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Putnam is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Putnam ranks as the #14 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.
Putnam ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Putnam is $343,751.
The median income in Putnam is $63,209.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Putnam has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Connecticut, Putnam has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Connecticut's index of 119.
The standard of living in Putnam ranks as #14 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies Putnam ranks as the #42 most expensive place in the Constitution State.
For more reading on life in Putnam, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Putnam. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Putnam is 116.
The Groceries index in Putnam is 100.
The Health index in Putnam is 109.
The Housing index in Putnam is 104.
The Transportation index in Putnam is 94.
The Utilities index in Putnam is 110.
| Living Expense | Putnam | Connecticut | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 106 | 119 | 100 | |
| Services | 116 | 109 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 104 | 137 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 131 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Connecticut, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Putnam is $343,751.
The Median Rent in Putnam is $1,124.
The Median Income in Putnam is $63,209.
The Home Value To Income in Putnam is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Putnam is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Putnam | Connecticut | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $343,751 | $430,086 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,124 | $1,431 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $63,209 | $93,760 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 4.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Putnam | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.43 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.37 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.72 | $18 |
| Haircut | $31.5 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.92 | $45.56 |
| Item | Putnam | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.85 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.43 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.74 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.0 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.59 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.74 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.46 | $3.7 |
| Item | Putnam | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $104.45 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $169.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.28 | $113.29 |
| Item | Putnam | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.38 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $48.2 | $59.92 |
| Item | Putnam | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $230.62 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.18 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Putnam. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Storrs, CT has a cost of living index of 116, 1.1x Putnam.
Webster, MA has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Putnam.
Whitinsville, MA has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Putnam.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storrs, CT | 13,502 | 116 | 1.1x |
| Webster, MA | 12,300 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Whitinsville, MA | 7,250 | 122 | 1.2x |
| Oxford, MA | 5,572 | 112 | 1.1x |