Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Brookline 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).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Brookline | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
5,736Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Woonsocket and Brookline 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% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #23 of 120 in NH | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Brookline School District | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6Lowest |
| 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.