What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the most homeowners (67.7%).

Providence has the most expensive homes ($362k 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	Providence
People
Population	17,551Lowest	191,767Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.	32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S.	$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.	$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Highest 54% above U.S.	$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Providence and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 149 in CT	#36 of 38 in RI
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative
High school in town	Plainville High School	Classical High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	17.2Highest
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.