Compare towns

Blackstone vs Griswold vs Woonsocket vs Barre

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

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.

MeasureBlackstoneGriswoldWoonsocketBarre
People
Population
9,255
11,530
43,521Highest
5,572Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.2±1.7
11% above U.S.
48.1±3.9Highest
24% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.8±8.5
13% above U.S.
Griswold 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%
18.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.8%±5.4Lowest
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%
17.8%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±5.6Highest
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%
19.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.8%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Barre and Woonsocket 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.
$78,719±$11k
about the U.S. average
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$107,727±$13kHighest
33% above U.S.
Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$404,400±$34kHighest
22% above U.S.
$275,900±$42kLowest
17% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$394,300±$55k
19% above U.S.
Blackstone and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,189±$85Highest
16% below U.S.
$1,177±$65
17% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,030±$713Lowest
27% below U.S.
Blackstone and Griswold 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.
$4,628
48% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$5,163
66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.5%±15.5
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
38.2%±27.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 min
28% above U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.2%±4.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Blackstone and Barre 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 #118 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI #134 of 282 in MA
School district Blackstone-Millville Griswold School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Quabbin
High school in town Blackstone Millville RHS Griswold High School Woonsocket High School Quabbin Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.6
11.5Lowest
15.2Highest
12.9
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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.