Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Plainfield vs Blackstone 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 people working from home (26.2%).
Bellingham has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Blackstone | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
616Lowest |
9,255 |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Blackstone 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 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. |
$63,500±$14k 21% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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. |
$309,000±$47kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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. |
$1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Plainfield 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. |
$4,458 43% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Bellingham 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% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Bellingham 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 | — | #207 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Blackstone-Millville | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | Blackstone Millville RHS | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6 |
12.4Lowest |
| 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.