Compare towns
Bristol vs Woonsocket vs Middletown
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 homeowners (66.1%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Middletown has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Middletown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
43,521Highest |
16,832Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+5.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 6% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
43.8±2Highest 8% above RI |
| Middletown 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%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
19%±2.7 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Middletown 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% |
22.3%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
47.4% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.9%±1.6 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 11% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$101,948±$6kHighest 16% above RI |
| Middletown and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25k 20% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$563,300±$46kHighest 39% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118 18% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,990±$170Highest 48% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393 10% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$6,153Highest 26% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
46.9%±6.3Highest RI: 48% |
| Middletown and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
8.5% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
57.9% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 2 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1969Highest 7 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
20 minLowest 22% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
10.9%±2.3 RI: 13% |
| Bristol and Middletown 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 | #23 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Middletown |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Woonsocket High School | Middletown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
15.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.