Compare towns

Putnam vs Windsor Locks vs Woonsocket vs Plainville

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).

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.

MeasurePutnamWindsor LocksWoonsocketPlainville
People
Population
9,292Lowest
12,579
43,521Highest
17,551
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
41.4±2.6
6% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.3±1.5Highest
14% above U.S.
Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
28.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6Highest
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
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
$81,205±$13k
about the U.S. average
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$84,343±$7kHighest
4% above U.S.
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
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$258,800±$14k
22% below U.S.
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,394±$187Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,126±$147Lowest
20% below U.S.
Windsor Locks and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860
24% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,798Highest
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
58.2%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Windsor Locks and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
22 min
17% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #109 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI #89 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Windsor Locks School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town Putnam High School Windsor Locks High School Woonsocket High School Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5
8.9Lowest
15.2Highest
11.4
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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.