Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Johnston 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketJohnstonBlackstone
People
Population
43,521Highest
29,835
9,255Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.5±2.5Highest
14% above U.S.
43.2±1.7
11% above U.S.
Johnston and Blackstone 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%
17.5%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Blackstone 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%
22.1%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Johnston 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Johnston 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±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$91,866±$6k
14% above U.S.
$94,191±$21kHighest
17% above U.S.
Blackstone and Johnston 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.
$355,500±$13k
7% above U.S.
$404,400±$34kHighest
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,275±$132Highest
10% below U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
Johnston and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,614
48% above U.S.
$5,703Highest
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
38.1%±8.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone 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%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
24 minLowest
11% below U.S.
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.9%±2.3
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 #32 of 38 in RI #207 of 282 in MA
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Johnston Blackstone-Millville
High school in town Woonsocket High School Johnston Senior High Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
10.3Lowest
13.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.