Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Townsend 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%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketTownsendBlackstone
People
Population
43,521Highest
9,100Lowest
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.
40.9±3.3
5% above U.S.
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
Blackstone and Townsend 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%
21%±3.2Lowest
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%
17.1%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Blackstone and Townsend 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%
35.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$94,191±$21k
17% above U.S.
Townsend 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.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$404,400±$34k
22% above U.S.
Townsend and Blackstone 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.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
Townsend and Blackstone 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.
$6,031Highest
93% above U.S.
$5,703
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Townsend 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%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
34 min
28% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Blackstone and Townsend 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 #136 of 282 in MA #207 of 282 in MA
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket North Middlesex Blackstone-Millville
High school in town Woonsocket High School North Middlesex Regional Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
13.1Lowest
13.6
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.