What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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	Bellingham	Woonsocket
People
Population	17,410Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Highest about the U.S. average	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
	Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S.	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 61% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellingham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#232 of 282 in MA	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Bellingham	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Lowest	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.