Compare towns

Chaplin vs Woonsocket vs Sterling

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).

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.

MeasureChaplinWoonsocketSterling
People
Population
2,070Lowest
43,521Highest
3,629
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±4.8Highest
12% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
39.4±5.9
about the U.S. average
Chaplin and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.7%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
22.8%±5.9
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.9%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
13%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
18%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
10.1%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Chaplin and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$97,846±$14k
21% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$102,695±$12kHighest
27% above U.S.
Sterling and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$255,200±$24kLowest
23% below U.S.
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$283,400±$17k
15% below U.S.
Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,473±$275Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
—
Chaplin and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,524
45% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,551Highest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.6%±27.7
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
32%±18.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 min
23% above U.S.
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
18.1%±10Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.6%±6.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Chaplin and Sterling 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 — #37 of 38 in RI #119 of 149 in CT
School district Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Sterling School District
High school in town Parish Hill High School Woonsocket High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
7.5Lowest
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.