Compare towns
North Smithfield vs Reading 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,708Lowest |
25,612 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Reading and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,219 67% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 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 |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 38 in RI | #50 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Smithfield | Reading | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | North Smitfield HS | Reading Memorial High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.