Compare towns
Windsor vs Woonsocket vs Plainfield vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Windsor | Woonsocket | Plainfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
43,521Highest |
616Lowest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 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 | $115,563±$10kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$63,500±$14k 21% below U.S. |
$69,803±$14k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,292±$558Highest 9% 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 | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,458Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 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 | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | — | #274 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | — | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.