Compare towns

Putnam vs Woonsocket vs Griswold

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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).

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.

MeasurePutnamWoonsocketGriswold
People
Population
9,292Lowest
43,521Highest
11,530
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
48.1±3.9Highest
24% above U.S.
Griswold and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±3.7Lowest
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%
17.8%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Putnam and Griswold 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%
19.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.8%±1.1Lowest
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.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$78,719±$11kHighest
about the U.S. average
Griswold and Putnam 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.
$275,900±$42k
17% below U.S.
Woonsocket and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,177±$65Highest
17% below U.S.
Griswold and Woonsocket 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.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,628Highest
48% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
57.5%±15.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Griswold and Woonsocket 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%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #37 of 38 in RI #118 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Griswold School District
High school in town Putnam High School Woonsocket High School Griswold High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
15.2Highest
11.5
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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.