Compare towns
Putnam vs Woonsocket vs Plainville vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Putnam | Woonsocket | Plainville | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
43,521Highest |
17,551 |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Plainville 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% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest 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 | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Plainville 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. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Putnam 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. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Woonsocket High School | Plainville High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
15.2Highest |
11.4 |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.