Compare towns
North Smithfield vs Orange vs Ware vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Smithfield has the highest household income ($109k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | North Smithfield | Orange | Ware | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,708 |
7,573Lowest |
10,048 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Ware 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 | #13 of 38 in RI | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Smithfield | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | North Smitfield HS | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.0Lowest |
11.1 |
15.2Highest |
| 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.