Compare towns
Bow vs Central Falls 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
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Bow | Central Falls | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
22,701 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #38 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bow School District | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Central Falls Sr High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.6 |
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.