Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Athol vs North Smithfield
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).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
North Smithfield has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Athol | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,801Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
36.8±3.3 5% below U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol 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% |
15%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Athol 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.