What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most homeowners (37.2%).

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.

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

Measure	Woonsocket	Central Falls
People
Population	43,521Highest	22,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	35.7±1.3Highest 12% below RI	32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI
	Woonsocket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Lowest RI: 18.8%	26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8%
	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%±1.4Highest RI: 18.7%	10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Highest RI: 37.7%	10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%	4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
	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±$5kHighest 30% below RI	$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI
	Woonsocket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI	$352,100±$30kHighest 13% below RI
	Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI	$1,200±$75Highest 11% below RI
	Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Highest 19% below RI	$3,744Lowest 24% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48%	56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48%
	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%Lowest RI: 11.2%	24.6%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Highest RI: 63.6%	25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 10 yrs older than RI	1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 15% above RI	27 minLowest 7% above RI
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Highest RI: 13%	5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%
	Woonsocket and Central Falls 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	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	14.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.