What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

Hawley has the most people working from home (19.3%).

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	Hawley
People
Population	43,521Highest	277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	56.8±7.2Highest 46% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±10Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Hawley 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%	37.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	39.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Hawley 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.	$87,500±$26kHighest 8% above U.S.
	Hawley and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$309,600±$38kLowest 7% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Hawley 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.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$4,097Highest 31% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hawley 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%	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.3%±12.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hawley and Woonsocket 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	—
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	—
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2	—
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.