Compare towns
Sterling 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
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
43,521Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Sterling 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest 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% |
6.2%±1.6Highest 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 | $102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% 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±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% 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% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% 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. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sterling School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.