Compare towns

Blackstone vs Willimantic 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%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k 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.

MeasureBlackstoneWillimanticWoonsocket
People
Population
9,255Lowest
18,096
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
31.3±2.7Lowest
20% below U.S.
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
Kids under 18
21.8%±4
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±2.5Lowest
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%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Blackstone and Woonsocket 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%
24.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
19.1%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,191±$21kHighest
17% above U.S.
$45,962±$7kLowest
43% below U.S.
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$404,400±$34kHighest
22% above U.S.
$190,900±$17kLowest
43% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,189±$85Highest
16% below U.S.
$1,063±$68Lowest
25% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
Blackstone and Woonsocket 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.
$4,678
50% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.9%±8.1
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Willimantic 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%
23.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
34.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
1953
27 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
23 minLowest
12% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #207 of 282 in MA — #37 of 38 in RI
School district Blackstone-Millville — RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town Blackstone Millville RHS — Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.6Lowest
—
15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.