Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Exeter vs Central Falls vs North Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
North Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
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 | Exeter | Central Falls | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
7,195Lowest |
22,701 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
37.7±5.9 7% below RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
45.5±3.9Highest 12% above RI |
| North Smithfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7 RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8 RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.8Highest RI: 18.7% |
| North Smithfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% RI: 37.7% |
46.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
33.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter 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±$5k 30% below RI |
$111,250±$30kHighest 27% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
$108,866±$12k 24% above RI |
| Exeter 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 23% below RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$352,100±$30k 13% below RI |
$457,200±$21k 13% above RI |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,317±$307Highest about the RI average |
$1,200±$75 11% below RI |
$1,282±$531 4% below RI |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 19% below RI |
$5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$5,219 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Exeter and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% RI: 11.2% |
12.8% RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% RI: 63.6% |
80.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
77.9% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1972 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
27 min 7% above RI |
26 min 4% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
14.2%±3.6 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and North Smithfield 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Exeter-West Greenwich | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Central Falls Sr High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.