Compare towns
Lisbon vs Woonsocket vs Preston 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
Lisbon has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sterling has the most people working from home (11.6%).
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 | Lisbon | Woonsocket | Preston | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,211 |
43,521Highest |
4,821 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest 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+ | 21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12k 15% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Preston and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Preston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044 30% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Preston 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #93 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Preston School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.