What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).

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	Derby
People
Population	43,521Highest	12,487Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Derby 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.	$79,500±$11kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$256,700±$21kLowest 23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,452±$95Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$5,510Highest 77% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	53.9%±12.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derby 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%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	61.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	15.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#138 of 149 in CT
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Derby School District
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Derby High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	9.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.