Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Plainfield vs Central Falls vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 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 | Woonsocket | Plainfield | Central Falls | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
15,141Lowest |
22,701 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 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+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket 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±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Pawtucket 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #38 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Plainfield School District | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Plainfield High School | Central Falls Sr High | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
14.6 |
14.6 |
| 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.