Compare towns
Plainfield vs Pawtucket vs Brooklyn vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Pawtucket | Brooklyn | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
75,893Highest |
8,517 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Brooklyn and Sterling 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%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Brooklyn 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 |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% 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 | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Brooklyn School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | William E. Tolman High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.