Compare towns

Brooklyn vs Woonsocket vs Plainfield vs Canterbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).

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.

MeasureBrooklynWoonsocketPlainfieldCanterbury
People
Population
8,517
43,521Highest
15,141
5,124Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
45.6±2.5
17% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
37±4.5
5% below U.S.
48.4±4.5Highest
24% above U.S.
Canterbury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.6%±4.6
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
15%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.9
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$96,207±$15k
19% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$103,198±$6kHighest
28% above U.S.
Canterbury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$315,200±$28k
5% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$334,200±$12kHighest
about the U.S. average
Canterbury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,125±$98
20% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,204±$70Highest
15% below U.S.
$924±$367Lowest
35% below U.S.
Plainfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,538Highest
45% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$4,140
33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.5%±19.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±13
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
29 min
11% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
32 minHighest
20% above U.S.
Work from home
10.7%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
14.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Canterbury and Brooklyn 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 #113 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI #131 of 149 in CT #125 of 149 in CT
School district Brooklyn School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Plainfield School District Canterbury School District
High school in town None in town Woonsocket High School Plainfield High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
15.2Highest
10.3Lowest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.