Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Pomfret vs Plainfield vs North Smithfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Pomfret has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
North Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($457k 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.

MeasureWoonsocketPomfretPlainfieldNorth Smithfield
People
Population
43,521Highest
4,317Lowest
15,141
12,708
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
+5.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
45.9±3.7Highest
18% above U.S.
37±4.5
5% below U.S.
45.5±3.9
17% above U.S.
Pomfret and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.1%±4.9
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.8%±4.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Smithfield and Pomfret 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%
50.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
33.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$108,476±$8k
34% above U.S.
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$108,866±$12kHighest
35% above U.S.
North Smithfield and Pomfret 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.
$409,100±$28k
23% above U.S.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$457,200±$21kHighest
37% above U.S.
North Smithfield and Pomfret 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.
$1,210±$300
14% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,282±$531Highest
9% below U.S.
North Smithfield and Pomfret 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.
$5,903Highest
89% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$5,219
67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±15.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±11.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Pomfret and Woonsocket 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%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
24 minLowest
11% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.2%±5.2
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
14.2%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
North Smithfield and Pomfret 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 #39 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT #13 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Pomfret School District Plainfield School District North Smithfield
High school in town Woonsocket High School None in town Plainfield High School North Smitfield HS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
—
10.3Lowest
12.1
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.