Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Springfield vs Cumberland vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Springfield | Cumberland | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
154,749Highest |
36,820 |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
33.7±0.5 13% below U.S. |
43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Springfield 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% |
13.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$52,656±$2k 35% below U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Cumberland and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #276 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Springfield | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Springfield Central High | Cumberland High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.2Lowest |
13.6 |
14.6 |
| 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.