What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).

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 Brookfield
People
Population	43,521Highest	4,760Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S.
	North Brookfield and Woonsocket 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%	16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Brookfield and Woonsocket 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%	26.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and North Brookfield 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.	$79,285±$11kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.	$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$4,176Highest 34% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	North Brookfield 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%	12.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#270 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	North Brookfield
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	North Brookfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	5.5Lowest
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.