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 ($268k 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 |
12,011Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Athol 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% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield 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% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% 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. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
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% |
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 | Athol-Royalston | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Athol High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.6Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.