Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Dudley vs Orange 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).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketDudleyOrangeBlackstone
People
Population
43,521Highest
11,929
7,573Lowest
9,255
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
40.2±2.4
3% above U.S.
41.8±2.2
7% above U.S.
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
Blackstone and Orange 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%
20.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Orange 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%
16.9%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
20.3%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Orange and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
24.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
15.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
13.1%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
$84,604±$12k
5% above U.S.
$55,824±$10kLowest
31% below U.S.
$94,191±$21kHighest
17% above U.S.
Blackstone and Dudley 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.
$392,600±$19k
18% above U.S.
$245,900±$18kLowest
26% below U.S.
$404,400±$34kHighest
22% above U.S.
Blackstone and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,217±$182Highest
14% below U.S.
$775±$233Lowest
45% below U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
Dudley and Blackstone 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.
$3,691Lowest
18% above U.S.
$4,136
33% above U.S.
$5,703Highest
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
47.4%±4.1
U.S.: 51.1%
41%±11.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
22.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
70%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
1966
14 yrs older than U.S.
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
27 minLowest
4% above U.S.
33 min
24% above U.S.
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.1%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
6.6%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #142 of 282 in MA #275 of 282 in MA #207 of 282 in MA
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Dudley-Charlton Reg Orange · Ralph C Mahar Blackstone-Millville
High school in town Woonsocket High School Shepherd Hill Regional High Ralph C Mahar Regional Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
14.3
9.0Lowest
13.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.