Compare towns
Blackstone vs Reading 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
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
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 | Reading | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255Lowest |
25,612 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Reading and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 83% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #207 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Reading | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Reading Memorial High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
12.1Lowest |
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.