What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Central Falls
People
Population	15,141Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+16.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Highest 5% below U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest 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	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Central 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	#131 of 149 in CT	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Plainfield School District	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.