Compare towns
Providence vs Warwick vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Warwick has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.
| Measure | Providence | Warwick | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
83,175 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Warwick 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #28 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Warwick | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Pilgrim High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
10.5 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.