Compare towns

Plainfield vs Woonsocket vs Windsor Locks vs Putnam

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldWoonsocketWindsor LocksPutnam
People
Population
15,141
43,521Highest
12,579
9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
37±4.5
5% below U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
41.4±2.6
6% above U.S.
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
Putnam and Windsor Locks 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%
18.6%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.6Lowest
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%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Putnam and Windsor Locks 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%
28.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
20%
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%
5.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Windsor Locks 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.
$81,205±$13kHighest
about the U.S. average
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
Windsor Locks 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.
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$258,800±$14kLowest
22% below U.S.
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,394±$187Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,209Highest
35% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% above U.S.
$3,860
24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
58.2%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Windsor Locks and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
25 min
6% below U.S.
Work from home
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Windsor Locks 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 #109 of 149 in CT #128 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Windsor Locks School District Putnam School District
High school in town Plainfield High School Woonsocket High School Windsor Locks High School Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3
15.2Highest
8.9Lowest
9.5
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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.