Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Sprague vs Blackstone 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).
Sprague has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Bellingham has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Sprague | Blackstone | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
2,962Lowest |
9,255 |
17,410 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
48.5±10.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
38.2±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Sprague and Blackstone 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% |
17.1%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Bellingham 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% |
19.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sprague 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9 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. |
$92,850±$11k 15% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$125,307±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Bellingham 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±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$273,500±$17kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$450,700±$13kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,836±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,668 50% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,030 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Bellingham 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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 | #141 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sprague School District | Blackstone-Millville | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6 |
12.4Lowest |
| 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.