Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Providence vs Blackstone
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).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Blackstone has the most homeowners (73.2%).
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 | Providence | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
191,767Highest |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Blackstone 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Blackstone 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3k 16% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Providence 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. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Providence 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2 |
17.2Highest |
13.6Lowest |
| 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.