What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Glocester has the most expensive homes ($397k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainville	Glocester
People
Population	17,551Highest	10,221Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S.	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Glocester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Glocester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.	$113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.	$396,500±$28kHighest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average
	Glocester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.	$5,248Highest 68% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Glocester and Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT	#12 of 38 in RI
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Foster-Glocester · Glocester
High school in town	Plainville High School	Ponaganset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.