What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

Barrington has the most people working from home (22.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Barrington
People
Population	43,521Highest	17,126Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+5.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI	43.8±1.1Highest 8% above RI
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Lowest RI: 18.8%	26.5%±2.5Highest RI: 18.8%
	Barrington 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 RI: 18.7%	16.4%±1.8Highest RI: 18.7%
	Barrington and Woonsocket 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 RI: 37.7%	73%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3%	5.2%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3%
	Barrington 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 30% below RI	$153,198±$9kHighest 74% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI	$644,100±$25kHighest 59% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI	$1,943±$505Highest 45% above RI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 19% below RI	$9,656Highest 97% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48%	55.4%±10Highest RI: 48%
	Barrington 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 RI: 11.2%	4.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6%	88.5%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI	1956Highest 6 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 15% above RI	30 minHighest 16% above RI
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13%	22.1%±3.3Highest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#1 of 38 in RI
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Barrington
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Barrington High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

RI 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.