Compare towns
Warwick vs Sterling 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
Warwick has the most expensive homes ($355k median).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Warwick | Sterling | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,175Highest |
3,629Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $354,600±$5kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$76Highest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick and Sterling 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Warwick | Sterling School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Pilgrim High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Highest |
— | 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.