Compare towns
Plainville vs Thomaston vs Woonsocket vs Derby
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).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Thomaston | Woonsocket | Derby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
7,492Lowest |
43,521Highest |
12,487 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Derby and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Derby 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Derby 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. |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$79,500±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Thomaston 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. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$256,700±$21k 23% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,452±$95Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,510 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.9%±12.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Derby 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #138 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Thomaston School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Derby School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Thomaston High School | Woonsocket High School | Derby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.7 |
15.2Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.