Compare towns
Canterbury vs Woonsocket vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Canterbury | Woonsocket | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,124Lowest |
43,521Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.4±4.5 24% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$361,500±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$966±$304 32% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,140 33% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,228Highest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbia and Canterbury 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 | #125 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Canterbury School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
— |
| 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.