Compare towns
Plainfield vs Woonsocket vs Wendell
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 (26.2%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
43,521Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14k 21% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14kHighest 19% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
— |
| 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.