Compare towns
Cumberland vs Providence vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the most homeowners (76.3%).
Providence has the youngest population (median age 32.8).
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.
| Measure | Cumberland | Providence | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,820Lowest |
191,767Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2 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+ | 18.9%±1.7Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
$68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,000±$15kHighest 7% above RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$109 about the RI average |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870Highest about the RI average |
$4,418 10% below RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2 RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% above RI |
25 minLowest about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Cumberland and Providence 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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | Classical High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Lowest |
17.2Highest |
15.2 |
| 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.