Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Reading 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
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 | Reading | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
25,612 |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Reading and Blackstone 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% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Blackstone 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #50 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Reading | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Reading Memorial High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
13.6 |
| 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.