Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Sutton vs Gardner vs North Smithfield
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).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Sutton | Gardner | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
9,452Lowest |
21,148 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Gardner 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% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Gardner 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. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Sutton and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Sutton 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #105 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Sutton | Gardner | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Sutton High School | Gardner High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.6 |
13.5 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.