Compare towns

Woonsocket vs North Providence vs Cumberland

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketNorth ProvidenceCumberland
People
Population
43,521Highest
34,293Lowest
36,820
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+6.3%
RI: +4.3%
+8.7%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
12% below RI
42.1±1.9
4% above RI
43.5±1.2Highest
7% above RI
Cumberland and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2
RI: 18.8%
17.7%±2.3Lowest
RI: 18.8%
23.4%±2.4Highest
RI: 18.8%
Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
RI: 18.7%
20.9%±2.1Highest
RI: 18.7%
18.9%±1.7
RI: 18.7%
North Providence 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
RI: 37.7%
36.9%
RI: 37.7%
44.8%Highest
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
RI: 8.3%
6.2%±1.4Highest
RI: 8.3%
3.1%±0.7Lowest
RI: 8.3%
North Providence 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
30% below RI
$83,756±$6k
5% below RI
$117,522±$8kHighest
34% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
23% below RI
$355,900±$12k
12% below RI
$431,000±$15kHighest
7% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
13% below RI
$1,405±$64Highest
5% above RI
$1,379±$109
about the RI average
North Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
19% below RI
$4,843
about the RI average
$4,870Highest
about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
RI: 48%
42.7%±6.2Lowest
RI: 48%
47.9%±9.2Highest
RI: 48%
Cumberland 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
RI: 11.2%
9.3%
RI: 11.2%
3.9%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
63.9%
RI: 63.6%
76.3%Highest
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
10 yrs older than RI
1970
8 yrs newer than RI
1972Highest
10 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
15% above RI
27 min
7% above RI
26 minLowest
3% above RI
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
RI: 13%
12.4%±2.5
RI: 13%
14.8%±2.4Highest
RI: 13%
Cumberland and North Providence 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 #26 of 38 in RI #18 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town Woonsocket High School North Providence High Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.8Lowest
13.6
On TownTapestry
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RI 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.