Compare towns
Bristol vs Woonsocket vs Cumberland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Bristol | Woonsocket | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220Lowest |
43,521Highest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 6% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI |
| Cumberland and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.9%±1.7 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
44.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 11% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$431,000±$15k 7% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,379±$109 about the RI average |
| Bristol and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393Highest 10% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,870 about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
47.9%±9.2Highest RI: 48% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
76.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 2 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
26 min 3% above RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13% |
| Cumberland and Bristol 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 | #20 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Woonsocket High School | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
15.2Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.