Compare towns
Blackstone vs Preston 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
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
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.
| Measure | Blackstone | Preston | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
4,821Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Preston 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% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest 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% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston 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% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Preston 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. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Preston 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. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Preston 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. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Preston 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Preston School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.