Compare towns

Hampton 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

Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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.

MeasureHamptonWoonsocketSterling
People
Population
1,647Lowest
43,521Highest
3,629
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
51.5±5.3Highest
32% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
39.4±5.9
about the U.S. average
Kids under 18
19.7%±5.3Lowest
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+
26.1%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
13%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
29.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
18%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.9%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$109,167±$19kHighest
35% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$102,695±$12k
27% above U.S.
Hampton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$295,800±$27k
11% below U.S.
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$283,400±$17kLowest
15% below U.S.
Woonsocket and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,285±$288Highest
9% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
—
Hampton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,364
40% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,551Highest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.5%±51.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
32%±18.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Hampton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980
same as U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minLowest
10% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
17.7%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.6%±6.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Hampton 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 Hampton School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Sterling 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.