Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Norton vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Norton has the most people working from home (19%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Norton | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
19,240Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
39.6±1.2Highest about the U.S. average |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
12.9%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$124,535±$11kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$501,400±$27kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,911±$375Highest 35% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$5,929Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.6%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #173 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Norton | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Norton High | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.9Lowest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.