Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Reading vs Cumberland vs Bellingham
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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Cumberland | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
25,612 |
36,820 |
17,410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket 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% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Cumberland 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Bellingham 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. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8k 46% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10k 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Reading and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% 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% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and Cumberland 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% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #50 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Reading | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Reading Memorial High | Cumberland High School | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
13.6 |
12.4 |
| 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.