Compare towns
Richmond vs Exeter 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
Richmond has the most homeowners (96.6%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Richmond | Exeter | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,142 |
7,195Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±4.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9 3% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,653±$27kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $435,800±$22k 31% above U.S. |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,580±$777Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362Highest 104% above U.S. |
$5,881 89% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Richmond 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chariho | Exeter-West Greenwich | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Chariho High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 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.