Compare towns
Sterling vs Woonsocket 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
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Sterling | Woonsocket | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
43,521Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Plainfield 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
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.