Compare towns

Central Falls vs Plainfield vs Woonsocket vs West Warwick

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).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).
West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).

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.

MeasureCentral FallsPlainfieldWoonsocketWest Warwick
People
Population
22,701
15,141Lowest
43,521Highest
31,173
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+16.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
32.5±2.3Lowest
16% below U.S.
37±4.5
5% below U.S.
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
42.8±1.5Highest
10% above U.S.
West Warwick and Plainfield 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%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Central Falls and Woonsocket 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%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
West Warwick 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%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
26.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.6%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
West Warwick 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.
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
$77,608±$7kHighest
4% below U.S.
West Warwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$352,100±$30kHighest
6% above U.S.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$330,800±$12k
about the U.S. average
Central Falls and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,200±$75
15% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,303±$74Highest
8% below U.S.
West Warwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,744Lowest
20% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,962Highest
59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.7%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±7.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Central Falls and Woonsocket 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%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
25.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
57%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1944Lowest
36 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
4% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
Work from home
5.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Plainfield and West Warwick 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 #37 of 38 in RI #33 of 38 in RI
School district Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning Plainfield School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket West Warwick
High school in town Central Falls Sr High Plainfield High School Woonsocket High School West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school
14.6
10.3Lowest
15.2Highest
13.0
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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.