Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Sterling vs Union vs Cumberland
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).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Union has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Cumberland has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
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 | Sterling | Union | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
3,629 |
944Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Union 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. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Sterling 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. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | — | $1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,793 54% above U.S. |
$4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | — | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sterling School District | Union School District | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | None in town | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | — | 13.6Lowest |
| 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.