Compare towns
Plainville vs Sterling vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Plainville | Sterling | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
3,629Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Plainville and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest 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+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
— | $1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Sterling School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| 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.