Compare towns
Woonsocket vs North Providence vs North Smithfield
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).
North Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
North Smithfield has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | North Providence | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
34,293 |
12,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
42.1±1.9 4% above RI |
45.5±3.9Highest 12% above RI |
| North Smithfield 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%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.2%±3.2 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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% |
20.9%±2.8Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
33.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
6.2%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$108,866±$12kHighest 24% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$355,900±$12k 12% below RI |
$457,200±$21kHighest 13% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,405±$64Highest 5% above RI |
$1,282±$531 4% below RI |
| North Providence and North Smithfield 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 |
$5,219Highest 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48% |
42.7%±6.2 RI: 48% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Woonsocket and North Providence 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% |
4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
63.9% RI: 63.6% |
77.9%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 4% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
12.4%±2.5 RI: 13% |
14.2%±3.6Highest RI: 13% |
| North Smithfield 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 | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | North Providence High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.