Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Thompson vs Blackstone 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).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Thompson | Blackstone | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
9,337 |
9,255Lowest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 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%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Cumberland 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% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Cumberland 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±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Blackstone 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. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
| Cumberland and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,870 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Thompson 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Cumberland 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Thompson School District | Blackstone-Millville | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
7.9Lowest |
13.6 |
13.6 |
| 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.