Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Amherst vs Cumberland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Woonsocket | Amherst | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
11,861Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
| Amherst and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #20 of 120 in NH | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
13.6 |
| 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.