Compare towns
Blackstone vs Paxton 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
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Barre has the oldest population (median age 43.8).
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 | Paxton | Woonsocket | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,255 |
5,002Lowest |
43,521Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% 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. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Barre and Blackstone 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% |
17.4%±3.6 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% |
18.4%±3.4 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest 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% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 83% above U.S. |
$7,129Highest 129% 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% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Woonsocket 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% |
1.4%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% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Paxton 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Wachusett | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | 15.2Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| 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.