Compare towns

Ludlow vs Woonsocket vs Springfield

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k 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.

MeasureLudlowWoonsocketSpringfield
People
Population
20,904Lowest
43,521
154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.3±1.8Highest
14% above U.S.
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
33.7±0.5Lowest
13% below U.S.
Kids under 18
16.4%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
24.2%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Springfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.8%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
13.2%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
20.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.5%±0.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,838±$7kHighest
5% above U.S.
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
$52,656±$2kLowest
35% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,300±$10kHighest
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$245,000±$4kLowest
26% below U.S.
Ludlow and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,223±$82Highest
13% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,144±$55Lowest
19% below U.S.
Ludlow and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,918Highest
58% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$3,695Lowest
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.7%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.7%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
25.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
77.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
49.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1964Highest
16 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
20 min
23% below U.S.
Work from home
14%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.4%±0.9
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #154 of 282 in MA #37 of 38 in RI #276 of 282 in MA
School district Ludlow RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Springfield
High school in town Ludlow Senior High Woonsocket High School Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1Lowest
15.2Highest
12.2
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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.