Compare towns
Plainfield vs Pawtucket vs Putnam vs Brooklyn
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Putnam | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
75,893Highest |
9,292 |
8,517Lowest |
| 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. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Brooklyn 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%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Brooklyn 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% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest 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% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above 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 | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% 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. |
$1,149±$44 19% 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. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% 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% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #35 of 38 in RI | #128 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Putnam School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | William E. Tolman High | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
14.6Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.