Compare towns
Plainfield vs Providence vs Thompson
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).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Providence | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
191,767Highest |
9,337Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Plainfield 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Thompson 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±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,418Highest 42% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Providence 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Thompson 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Classical High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
17.2Highest |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.