Compare towns

Putnam vs Sutton vs Thompson 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

Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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.

MeasurePutnamSuttonThompsonWoonsocket
People
Population
9,292Lowest
9,452
9,337
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
44.3±2.5
14% above U.S.
54.1±2.2Highest
39% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±3.3
U.S.: 22%
11.4%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.8%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
24.4%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Thompson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
52.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
21.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
$147,125±$25kHighest
82% above U.S.
$93,629±$18k
16% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$523,100±$47kHighest
57% above U.S.
$291,900±$24k
12% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,190±$401Highest
16% below U.S.
$1,012±$344Lowest
28% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
Sutton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860
24% above U.S.
$6,763Highest
117% above U.S.
$3,822Lowest
23% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4
U.S.: 51.1%
54%±18.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Thompson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
89.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
30 min
12% above U.S.
32 minHighest
20% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #105 of 282 in MA #130 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI
School district Putnam School District Sutton Thompson School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town Putnam High School Sutton High School Tourtellotte Memorial High School Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5
12.6
7.9Lowest
15.2Highest
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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.