Compare towns

Middletown vs Woonsocket vs North Providence

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most expensive homes ($563k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
North Providence has the most people working from home (12.4%).

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.

MeasureMiddletownWoonsocketNorth Providence
People
Population
16,832Lowest
43,521Highest
34,293
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.7%
RI: +4.3%
+5%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+6.3%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
43.8±2Highest
8% above RI
35.7±1.3Lowest
12% below RI
42.1±1.9
4% above RI
Middletown and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±2.7
RI: 18.8%
23.3%±2Highest
RI: 18.8%
17.7%±2.3Lowest
RI: 18.8%
Woonsocket and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.3%±2.6Highest
RI: 18.7%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
RI: 18.7%
20.9%±2.1
RI: 18.7%
Middletown and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
47.4%Highest
RI: 37.7%
19.8%Lowest
RI: 37.7%
36.9%
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.9%±1.6Highest
RI: 8.3%
5.1%±0.9Lowest
RI: 8.3%
6.2%±1.4
RI: 8.3%
Middletown and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,948±$6kHighest
16% above RI
$61,059±$5kLowest
30% below RI
$83,756±$6k
5% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$563,300±$46kHighest
39% above RI
$311,000±$15kLowest
23% below RI
$355,900±$12k
12% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,990±$170Highest
48% above RI
$1,161±$48Lowest
13% below RI
$1,405±$64
5% above RI
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,153Highest
26% above RI
$3,960Lowest
19% below RI
$4,843
about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±6.3Highest
RI: 48%
46.7%±5.4
RI: 48%
42.7%±6.2Lowest
RI: 48%
Middletown and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.5%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
18.7%Highest
RI: 11.2%
9.3%
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
57.9%
RI: 63.6%
37.2%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
63.9%Highest
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969
7 yrs newer than RI
1952Lowest
10 yrs older than RI
1970Highest
8 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
22% below RI
29 minHighest
15% above RI
27 min
7% above RI
Work from home
10.9%±2.3
RI: 13%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
RI: 13%
12.4%±2.5Highest
RI: 13%
North Providence and Middletown 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 #23 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI #26 of 38 in RI
School district Middletown RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island
High school in town Middletown High School Woonsocket High School North Providence High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7Lowest
15.2Highest
12.8
On TownTapestry
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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.