Compare towns
Central Falls vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks vs Valley Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Valley Falls has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Central Falls | Plainfield | Windsor Locks | Valley Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,701Highest |
15,141 |
12,579Lowest |
12,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
41.7±3.5Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$92,901±$17kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$375,200±$19kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,362±$142 4% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744 20% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,397Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | — |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.