What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

Ashland has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Ashland
People
Population	43,521Highest	18,873Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	42.1±1.4Highest 8% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ashland and Woonsocket 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%	60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Ashland 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.	$127,539±$11kHighest 58% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$611,700±$18kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$7,444Highest 139% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ashland 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%	3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	37 minHighest 39% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Ashland
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	14.0Lowest
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.