What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westfield has the most homeowners (68.6%).

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	Westfield	Woonsocket
People
Population	40,378Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.8Highest about the U.S. average	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,753±$6kHighest 9% above U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,100±$11kHighest about the U.S. average	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
	Westfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,746Highest 52% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	8.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Westfield 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	#197 of 282 in MA	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Westfield	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Westfield High	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.