What stands out worked out from the figures below

Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

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	Spencer	Woonsocket
People
Population	12,008Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Spencer and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,533±$11kHighest about the U.S. average	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S.	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,387Highest 41% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Spencer and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Spencer 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	#261 of 282 in MA	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Spencer-E Brookfield	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	David Prouty High	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	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.