Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Sterling 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Sterling has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,183Lowest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Blackstone 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% |
22.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sterling 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% |
48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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. |
$129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Sterling 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. |
$498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Woonsocket 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Wachusett | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.