What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Thompson
People
Population	43,521Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Thompson 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.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Highest 27% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Thompson 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%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Thompson School District
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	7.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.