What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

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	Westminster	Woonsocket
People
Population	8,374Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S.	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,973Highest 59% above U.S.	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westminster and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 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	12.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#112 of 282 in MA	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Ashburnham-Westminster	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Oakmont Regional High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Lowest	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.