Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Upton vs Mendon vs Central Falls
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Upton | Mendon | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Mendon 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 14.6 |
| 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.