Compare towns

Canton 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

Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
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.

MeasureCantonCentral FallsWoonsocket
People
Population
24,748
22,701Lowest
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.6±2.3Highest
10% above U.S.
32.5±2.3Lowest
16% below U.S.
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
Kids under 18
22.9%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.1%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.8%±2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.7%±2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
67.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
10.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.6%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$143,381±$9kHighest
78% above U.S.
$49,285±$8kLowest
39% below U.S.
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$710,600±$27kHighest
114% above U.S.
$352,100±$30k
6% above U.S.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,315±$178Highest
64% above U.S.
$1,200±$75
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,560Highest
110% above U.S.
$3,744Lowest
20% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.4%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
56.7%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Central Falls and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
24.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
25.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1944Lowest
36 yrs older than U.S.
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
36% above U.S.
27 minLowest
4% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
25.7%±3.3Highest
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 #81 of 282 in MA #38 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI
School district Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town Canton High Central Falls Sr High Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.1Lowest
14.6
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.