Compare towns
Plainville vs Windsor Locks vs Woonsocket vs Bristol
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 oldest population (median age 44.3).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Windsor Locks | Woonsocket | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
12,579Lowest |
43,521 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37.9±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Bristol 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$79,076±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,338±$45 5% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$5,449Highest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Bristol 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9% 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. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School | Woonsocket High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
8.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.