What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

Charlestown has the most people working from home (18.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Woonsocket	Charlestown
People
Population	43,521Highest	8,051Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest RI: +4.3%	+2.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI	53.3±2.1Highest 31% above RI
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8%	13%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7%	27.1%±3.5Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%	40.4%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3%	6.6%±2.7Highest RI: 8.3%
	Charlestown 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 30% below RI	$109,404±$10kHighest 25% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI	$525,500±$57kHighest 30% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI	$1,374±$134Highest about the RI average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Highest 19% below RI	$3,365Lowest 31% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48%	60.7%±20.6Highest RI: 48%
	Charlestown 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 RI: 11.2%	4.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6%	92%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI	1980Highest 18 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 15% above RI	28 minLowest 9% above RI
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13%	18.9%±3.9Highest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#10 of 38 in RI
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Chariho
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.