Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Providence vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Providence has the most people working from home (14.3%).
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 | Providence | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
191,767Highest |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2% RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Highest 12% below RI |
32.8±0.5 19% below RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
| 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%±1.4Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7 RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% RI: 37.7% |
34.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 30% below RI |
$68,119±$3kHighest 22% below RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
| Providence and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$352,100±$30k 13% below RI |
| Providence and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,200±$75 11% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 19% below RI |
$4,418Highest 10% below RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7% RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Highest 10 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1944 18 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest about the RI average |
27 min 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2 |
17.2Highest |
14.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.