Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Putnam vs Brooklyn 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 renters (62.8% rent).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Putnam | Brooklyn | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
9,292 |
8,517Lowest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 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%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Woonsocket 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Putnam School District | Brooklyn School District | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Putnam High School | None in town | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— | 13.6 |
| 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.