Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Fall River vs Blackstone vs Bellingham
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Blackstone has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Bellingham has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Fall River | Blackstone | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
94,082Highest |
9,255Lowest |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Bellingham 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% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Blackstone and Fall River 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% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Fall River 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 24% below U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Bellingham 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone-Millville | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | B M C Durfee High | Blackstone Millville RHS | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.3Lowest |
13.6 |
12.4 |
| 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.