Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Becket 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).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Becket | Blackstone | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
1,962Lowest |
9,255 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% 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. |
49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Becket and Blackstone 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% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest 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% |
21.3%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Becket and Blackstone 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% |
45.3%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% |
3.4%±2 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. |
$80,417±$29k about the U.S. average |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Becket 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. |
$361,000±$82k 9% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Becket 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. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Becket 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. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Blackstone 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% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% 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. |
1967 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. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Becket 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 | — | #207 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Central Berkshire | Blackstone-Millville | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | 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.