Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Plainfield vs North Smithfield vs Bellingham
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 renters (62.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
North Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Plainfield | North Smithfield | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
15,141 |
12,708Lowest |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Plainfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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 24% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Bellingham 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 27% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and North Smithfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #13 of 38 in RI | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Plainfield School District | North Smithfield | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Plainfield High School | North Smitfield HS | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.1 |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.