Compare towns
Wendell vs Woonsocket vs Orange vs Whately
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).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Whately has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Orange | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 850Lowest |
43,521Highest |
7,573 |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
49.3±6.7Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Whately and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whately 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% 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% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$116,563±$15kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$431,500±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$977±$125 31% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,519 45% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,027Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±29Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whately 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | New Salem-Wendell | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Whately |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.