Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Providence vs Cumberland Hill
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cumberland Hill has the most homeowners (83.1%).
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 | Cumberland Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
191,767Highest |
8,648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+2.6%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
42.1±3.2Highest 4% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
21.3%±4.6 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Cumberland Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
15.1%±1.9Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Cumberland Hill 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 RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
49.2%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.5%±2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
$130,506±$20kHighest 49% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
$394,300±$26kHighest about the RI average |
| Cumberland Hill 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 13% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,310±$233 about the RI average |
| Providence and Cumberland Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,418Highest 10% below RI |
$4,390 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
74%±22.2Highest RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 18.7% RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.7%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
41.4% RI: 63.6% |
83.1%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1979Highest 17 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest about the RI average |
26 min 3% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
11%±2.3 RI: 13% |
| Providence and Cumberland Hill 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 | — |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | — |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Lowest |
17.2Highest |
— |
| 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.