What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% 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	Pawtucket
People
Population	15,141Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Plainfield 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%	22.4%±1.6Highest 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+	16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 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	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket 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%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Pawtucket 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	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Plainfield School District	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Plainfield High School	William E. Tolman 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.