Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn 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
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
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 | Pawtucket | Plainfield | Brooklyn | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
15,141 |
8,517Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooklyn 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Plainfield High School | None in town | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.