Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Millis vs Lancaster
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).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Millis | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,888 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.4±3Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Millis and Lancaster 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% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Lancaster 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% |
23.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millis and Lancaster 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% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Millis 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. |
$155,996±$9kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Millis and Lancaster 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. |
$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Millis and Lancaster 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. |
$1,696±$279 20% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Millis 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. |
$9,344Highest 200% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Millis 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #63 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Millis | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Millis High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.