Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Norfolk vs Upton vs Cumberland
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).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (32.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Norfolk | Upton | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
11,673 |
8,189Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.6±1.3 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
24.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Norfolk and Cumberland 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% |
13.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Cumberland 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% |
61.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Norfolk 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. |
$200,720±$22kHighest 149% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8k 46% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Upton 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. |
$725,200±$34kHighest 118% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$2,019±$598Highest 43% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
| Norfolk and Cumberland 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. |
$9,651Highest 209% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norfolk and Upton 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% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.6%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norfolk and Upton 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 | #123 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | King Philip · Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.



