Compare towns
Smithfield vs Woonsocket vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Smithfield | Woonsocket | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,233Lowest |
43,521Highest |
22,864 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+6.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
43.7±2.2Highest 8% above RI |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
21.5%±3 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
24%±2.7Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
45.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.8%±1.8 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$104,821±$15kHighest 19% above RI |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$450,600±$17kHighest 11% above RI |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,161±$48 13% below RI |
$1,468±$152Highest 9% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,207Highest 6% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,751 3% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
40.4%±9.8Lowest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
7.4% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
72.1% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1970 8 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
13.3%±3.4 RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Lincoln 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #21 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Smithfield | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy |
| High school in town | Smithfield High School | Woonsocket High School | Lincoln Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.