What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

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.

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

Measure	Putnam	Woonsocket
People
Population	9,292Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Putnam and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
	Putnam and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.	$3,960Highest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Putnam and Woonsocket 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	#128 of 149 in CT	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Putnam School District	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Putnam High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	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.