Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Fall River vs Cumberland vs North Smithfield
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 the most renters (64.7% rent).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
North Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
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 | Cumberland | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
94,082Highest |
36,820 |
12,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket 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% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Cumberland 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% 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% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 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±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Cumberland 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. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Cumberland 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. |
$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
| Cumberland 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 27% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River and Cumberland 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% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | B M C Durfee High | Cumberland High School | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.3Lowest |
13.6 |
12.1 |
| 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.