Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Brooklyn vs Central Falls vs North Smithfield
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).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
North Smithfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Brooklyn | Central Falls | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,517Lowest |
22,701 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and North Smithfield 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% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Brooklyn 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% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Brooklyn 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. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield 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. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Brooklyn 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 149 in CT | #38 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Brooklyn School District | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Central Falls Sr High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.