Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Smithfield vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Smithfield | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
22,233Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
41.8±2.6Highest about the RI average |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% RI: 37.7% |
40%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 30% below RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
$352,100±$30k 13% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 13% below RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,200±$75Highest 11% below RI |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 19% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
27 min 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Smithfield | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Smithfield High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.