Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Townsend vs North Smithfield 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 the most renters (62.8% rent).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Townsend | North Smithfield | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
9,100Lowest |
12,708 |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest 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. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±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% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone 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% |
33.8% 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% |
4.4%±1.3 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. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and North Smithfield 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±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Townsend 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. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Townsend and North Smithfield 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. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% 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. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and North Smithfield 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 | #13 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Middlesex | North Smithfield | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | North Middlesex Regional | North Smitfield HS | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
13.1 |
12.1Lowest |
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.