Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Chaplin vs Putnam

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 renters (62.8% rent).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketChaplinPutnam
People
Population
43,521Highest
2,070Lowest
9,292
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.7±4.8Highest
12% above U.S.
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Chaplin and Putnam 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
U.S.: 35.7%
25.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
10.1%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Chaplin 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
24% below U.S.
$97,846±$14kHighest
21% above U.S.
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kHighest
7% below U.S.
$255,200±$24kLowest
23% below U.S.
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,473±$275Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
Chaplin and Woonsocket 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.
$4,524Highest
45% above U.S.
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±27.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±10Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Chaplin and Putnam 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 — #128 of 149 in CT
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Putnam School District
High school in town Woonsocket High School Parish Hill High School Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
7.5Lowest
9.5
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.