Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ayer vs Cumberland 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 (21.6%).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
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 | Cumberland | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,645Lowest |
36,820 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland 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% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest 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. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Cumberland 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. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Cumberland 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. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Cumberland 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. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Cumberland 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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ayer Shirley School District | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Cumberland High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.5Lowest |
13.6 |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.