Compare towns
Blackstone vs Devens vs Barre 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
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Blackstone | Devens | Barre | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,255 |
1,723Lowest |
5,572 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Devens and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Devens and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,556 78% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | — | #134 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | — | Quabbin | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | — | Quabbin Regional High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | 12.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.