Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Sutton 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%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketSuttonNorth Smithfield
People
Population
43,521Highest
9,452Lowest
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%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.3±2.5
14% 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%
19.2%±3.2Lowest
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%
20.9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Smithfield and Sutton 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%
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%
4.4%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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.
$108,866±$12k
35% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$523,100±$47kHighest
57% above 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±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,190±$401
16% 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.
$5,219
67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±11.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Sutton 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%
5.8%
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%
77.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
30 minHighest
12% 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%
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 #13 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Sutton North Smithfield
High school in town Woonsocket High School Sutton High School North Smitfield HS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.6
12.1Lowest
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.