Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Killingly vs Sterling 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 renters (62.8% rent).
Sterling has the most homeowners (81.1%).
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 | Killingly | Sterling | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Killingly 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% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Killingly 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly 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. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Woonsocket 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. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Killingly 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% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Sterling 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Killingly High School | None in town | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— | 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.