What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

Sheffield has the most homeowners (82.3%).

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	Sheffield
People
Population	43,521Highest	3,330Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	48.2±8Highest 24% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	13.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Sheffield 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.	$92,120±$31kHighest 14% above U.S.
	Sheffield 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±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$409,400±$32kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,837±$1kHighest 30% above U.S.
	Sheffield and Woonsocket 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.	$4,520Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	29.2%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Sheffield 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%	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	8.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sheffield 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	#250 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Southern Berkshire
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Mt Everett Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	7.8Lowest
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.