Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ayer vs Blackstone vs Central Falls
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Blackstone has the most homeowners (73.2%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Ayer | Blackstone | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
3,098Lowest |
9,255 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Ayer 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% |
20.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Blackstone and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$74,878±$17k 7% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Central Falls 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. |
$4,911 57% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Central Falls 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% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Blackstone 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Blackstone-Millville | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | Blackstone Millville RHS | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6Lowest |
14.6 |
| 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.