What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

North Adams has the most people working from home (9.2%).

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	North Adams
People
Population	43,521Highest	12,606Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,059±$5kHighest 24% below U.S.	$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.	$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Highest 27% above U.S.	$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	18.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	51%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	17 minLowest 34% below U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	North Adams and Woonsocket 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	#268 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Charles McCann Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	10.6Lowest
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.