Compare towns

Plainfield vs Putnam vs Woonsocket vs Montville

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 people working from home (10%).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Montville 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.

MeasurePlainfieldPutnamWoonsocketMontville
People
Population
15,141
9,292Lowest
43,521Highest
17,950
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
37±4.5
5% below U.S.
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
42.8±4.1
10% above U.S.
Putnam and Montville 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%
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket 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%
18.5%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Putnam and Montville 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%
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
25.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Montville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$96,454±$11kHighest
19% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$285,600±$13k
14% below U.S.
Woonsocket and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70Highest
15% below U.S.
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,187±$99
16% below U.S.
Plainfield and Montville 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.
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,565Highest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.4%±8.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and Montville 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%
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
25 min
4% below U.S.
Work from home
10%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
5.5%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Plainfield and Putnam 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 #128 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI #95 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District Putnam School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Montville School District
High school in town Plainfield High School Putnam High School Woonsocket High School Montville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3
9.5
15.2Highest
9.2Lowest
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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.