Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Melrose 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).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
North Smithfield has the most homeowners (77.9%).
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 | Melrose | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
29,650 |
12,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Melrose 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% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Melrose 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% |
20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Melrose 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% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Melrose 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. |
$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Melrose and North Smithfield 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. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Melrose 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #62 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Melrose | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Melrose High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.