Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Cheshire 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 renters (62.8% rent).
Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).
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 | Cheshire | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
3,216Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Cheshire 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%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and North Smithfield 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% |
26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Cheshire 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. |
$69,803±$14k 14% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield 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. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #274 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Hoosac Valley Regional | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Hoosac Valley High School | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.5Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.