What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

Plainville has the most homeowners (67.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Plainville
People
Population	43,521Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest 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	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.	$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
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	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$4,798Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest 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	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school 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

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.