Compare towns
Spencer vs Woonsocket vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Palmer Town has the most homeowners (71.5%).
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.
| Measure | Spencer | Woonsocket | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
43,521Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 24% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% 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 | $4,387 41% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Palmer Town and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town 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 | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Woonsocket High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.