Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Smithfield vs Cumberland
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 renters (62.8% rent).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Smithfield | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
22,233Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI |
| Cumberland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| 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 RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
18.9%±1.7 RI: 18.7% |
| Smithfield 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 RI: 37.7% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
44.8%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
| Cumberland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
$431,000±$15k 7% above RI |
| Smithfield and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 13% below RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,379±$109Highest about the RI average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
$4,870 about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
47.9%±9.2 RI: 48% |
| Smithfield 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 RI: 11.2% |
6.2% RI: 11.2% |
3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
76.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1972 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
26 min 3% above RI |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13% |
| Cumberland and Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Smithfield | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Smithfield High School | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
13.6 |
| 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.