Compare towns
Salem vs Woonsocket vs Montville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (18%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Montville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Salem | Woonsocket | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,282Lowest |
43,521Highest |
17,950 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40.9±5.4 5% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.8±4.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Montville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Montville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,245±$8kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$96,454±$11k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,600±$33kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$285,600±$13kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,440±$150Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,187±$99 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,668Highest 114% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,565 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±26Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18%±9.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Salem School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Montville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| 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.