Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Athol vs Hardwick 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).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Hardwick has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Athol | Hardwick | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
12,011 |
2,684Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
| Hardwick 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% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest 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% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Athol 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% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Woonsocket 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. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Athol 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% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston | Quabbin | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Athol High | None in town | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.6Lowest |
— | 13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.