Compare towns
Plainfield vs Woonsocket vs Ansonia 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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Ansonia has the oldest population (median age 40.1).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Woonsocket | Ansonia | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
43,521Highest |
19,033 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
40.1±1.6Highest 3% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ansonia and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ansonia 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% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ansonia 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$85,877±$10k 6% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Ansonia 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. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$287,200±$14k 14% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Ansonia 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. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,476±$121Highest 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,446Highest 75% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #142 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Woonsocket High School | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
15.2Highest |
12.2 |
— |
| 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.