What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Putnam
People
Population	43,521Highest	9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Putnam 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%	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Putnam 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%	20%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Putnam 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.	$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.
	Putnam 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±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Highest 27% above U.S.	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Putnam 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%	11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Putnam and Woonsocket 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	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Putnam School District
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.