Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks 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
Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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.
| Measure | Pawtucket | Plainfield | Windsor Locks | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
15,141 |
12,579Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Windsor Locks 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and West Warwick 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±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and West Warwick 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | West Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
13.0 |
| 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.