What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	43,521Highest	25,358Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.7±1.3Highest 8% below U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kHighest 10% below U.S.
	Mansfield 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±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average
	Mansfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	18.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	11.8Lowest
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.