Compare towns
Bristol vs Plainfield vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Lincoln has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Bristol | Plainfield | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
15,141Lowest |
22,864Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lincoln and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lincoln and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 21% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$104,821±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$450,600±$17k 35% above U.S. |
| Bristol and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,468±$152 4% above U.S. |
| Bristol and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,751 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.4%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lincoln and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lincoln and Bristol 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 | #20 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #21 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Plainfield School District | Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Plainfield High School | Lincoln Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
10.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.