Compare towns
Cumberland vs Plainfield vs Central 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
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Cumberland | Plainfield | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,820Highest |
616Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$63,500±$14k 21% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$309,000±$47kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Cumberland and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
$4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 38 in RI | — | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | — | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | — | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.