Compare towns
Ashby vs Plympton vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Ashby | Plympton | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
2,935Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.4±4.2 19% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$126,736±$20kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$517,800±$52kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
$555±$148Lowest 61% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,628Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.8%±40.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plympton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plympton and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Middlesex | Plympton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.2 |
| 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.