Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Chaplin vs Union

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%).
Union has the oldest population (median age 49.9).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketChaplinUnion
People
Population
43,521Highest
2,070
944Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.7±4.8
12% above U.S.
49.9±4.3Highest
28% above U.S.
Union and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±4.4
U.S.: 17.2%
24.5%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Union and Chaplin 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%
24%
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%
5%±3.3Lowest
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.
$88,958±$14k
10% above U.S.
Chaplin and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$255,200±$24kLowest
23% below U.S.
$330,400±$26kHighest
about the U.S. average
Union 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
18% below U.S.
$1,473±$275Highest
4% above 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
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,524
45% above U.S.
$4,793Highest
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±27.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
90%±64.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Union and Woonsocket 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%
5.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
32 min
20% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±10Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Chaplin and Union 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 — —
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 Union School District
High school in town Woonsocket High School Parish Hill High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
7.5Lowest
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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.