Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Smithfield vs Pawtucket 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 the most renters (62.8% rent).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Pawtucket | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
22,233 |
75,893Highest |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Smithfield 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% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield 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% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Blackstone 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. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Blackstone 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. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Smithfield 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Smithfield | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Smithfield High School | William E. Tolman High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
14.6 |
13.6 |
| 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.