Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Kingston vs Central Falls

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).
Kingston has the most people working from home (15.7%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketKingstonCentral Falls
People
Population
43,521Highest
6,275Lowest
22,701
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
55.5±5.7Highest
43% above U.S.
32.5±2.3Lowest
16% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.1%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Central Falls and Woonsocket 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%
24.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.7%±2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
10.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.6%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and Central Falls 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.
$105,330±$12kHighest
30% above U.S.
$49,285±$8kLowest
39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$492,900±$58kHighest
48% above U.S.
$352,100±$30k
6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,393±$156Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,200±$75
15% below U.S.
Kingston and Central Falls 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.
$7,906Highest
153% above U.S.
$3,744Lowest
20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±46.4
U.S.: 51.1%
56.7%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Central Falls and Kingston 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%
2.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
24.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
25.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1944Lowest
36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
34 minHighest
29% above U.S.
27 minLowest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
5.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #78 of 120 in NH #38 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Sanborn Regional School District Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town Woonsocket High School Sanborn Regional High School Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.9Lowest
14.6
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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.