What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pembroke has the most people working from home (21.2%).

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pembroke	Woonsocket
People
Population	18,382Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.3Highest 17% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$146,285±$17kHighest 81% above U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$586,500±$28kHighest 76% above U.S.	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,464±$753Highest 74% above U.S.	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,585Highest 111% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 31% above U.S.	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#82 of 282 in MA	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Pembroke	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Pembroke High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Lowest	15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.