Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Union 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).
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
North Smithfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Union | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
944Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Union and North Smithfield 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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% |
24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union and North Smithfield 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Union 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. |
$88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Union 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. |
$330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Woonsocket 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. |
$4,793 54% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union 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% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Union 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 | — | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Union School District | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 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.