Compare towns
Wendell vs Woonsocket vs New Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
New Salem has the highest household income ($80k).
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 | Wendell | Woonsocket | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 850Lowest |
43,521Highest |
1,054 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Salem and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$79,688±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| New Salem and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88 15% below U.S. |
| Wendell and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,509 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem and Wendell 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | New Salem-Wendell | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
— |
| 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.