Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Upton vs Northbridge 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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Northbridge | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,189Lowest |
16,458 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge 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±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Northbridge 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.2 |
10.8Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.