Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Mendon 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).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketMendonNorth Smithfield
People
Population
43,521Highest
6,325Lowest
12,708
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.1±4.4
13% above U.S.
45.5±3.9Highest
17% above U.S.
North Smithfield and Mendon 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%
22.8%±6.2
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Mendon 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%
14.7%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
33.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.8%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Mendon 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.
$132,256±$33kHighest
64% above U.S.
$108,866±$12k
35% above U.S.
Mendon 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.
$616,000±$37kHighest
85% above U.S.
$457,200±$21k
37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,840±$196Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,282±$531
9% below U.S.
Mendon and North Smithfield 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.
$7,213Highest
131% above U.S.
$5,219
67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
78.7%±26Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±11.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
77.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
30 minHighest
14% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±5.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Mendon and North Smithfield 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 #210 of 282 in MA #13 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Mendon-Upton North Smithfield
High school in town Woonsocket High School None in town North Smitfield HS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
—
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.