Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Springfield | Pawtucket | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
154,749Highest |
75,893 |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Blackstone and Woonsocket 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% |
20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest 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% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% 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 | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% 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% |
57.7%±3.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Springfield 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% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% 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% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #276 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Springfield | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Springfield Central High | William E. Tolman High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.2Lowest |
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.