What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).

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.

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

Measure	Bedford	Woonsocket
People
Population	23,746Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	22.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#7 of 120 in NH	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Bedford School District	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Bedford High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Lowest	15.2Highest
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.