Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Danvers vs North Smithfield vs Blackstone

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).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 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.

MeasureWoonsocketDanversNorth SmithfieldBlackstone
People
Population
43,521Highest
28,098
12,708
9,255Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
45.3±3
16% above U.S.
45.5±3.9Highest
17% above U.S.
43.2±1.7
11% above U.S.
North Smithfield and Danvers 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%
17.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Blackstone 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%
22.6%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Danvers 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%
48.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
33.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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.
$125,395±$10kHighest
55% above U.S.
$108,866±$12k
35% above U.S.
$94,191±$21k
17% above U.S.
Danvers and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$644,200±$23kHighest
94% above U.S.
$457,200±$21k
37% above U.S.
$404,400±$34k
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,076±$192Highest
47% above U.S.
$1,282±$531
9% below U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$6,654Highest
113% above U.S.
$5,219
67% above U.S.
$5,703
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
48.8%±8.6
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±11.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Danvers 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%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
1972Highest
8 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
28 min
8% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.3%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Danvers and Blackstone 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 #91 of 282 in MA #13 of 38 in RI #207 of 282 in MA
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers North Smithfield Blackstone-Millville
High school in town Woonsocket High School Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School North Smitfield HS Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.8
12.1Lowest
13.6
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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.