What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northfield has the most people working from home (16.5%).

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	Northfield
People
Population	43,521Highest	2,872Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	48.9±4.2Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	14.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Northfield 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.	$103,375±$10kHighest 28% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$375,800±$31kHighest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.	$1,142±$200Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Northfield 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.	$4,594Highest 47% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northfield 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%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.5%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Northfield 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	#231 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Pioneer Valley
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Pioneer Valley Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	10.7Lowest
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.