Compare towns
Central Falls vs Sterling 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).
Sterling has the most homeowners (81.1%).
Valley Falls has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Sterling | Valley Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701Highest |
3,629Lowest |
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. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
41.7±3.5Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Sterling 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% |
22.8%±5.9Lowest 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% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Valley Falls and Sterling 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% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Central Falls and Sterling 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. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$92,901±$17k 15% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Valley Falls 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. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% 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. |
— | $1,362±$142Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Central Falls 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. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,397 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Valley 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Valley Falls 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Sterling School District | — |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.