Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Walpole 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).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Blackstone has the oldest population (median age 43.2).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketWalpoleBlackstone
People
Population
43,521Highest
26,388
9,255Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
40.9±1.2
5% above U.S.
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
Blackstone and Walpole 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%
25.1%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Walpole and Woonsocket 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%
16.9%±1.7
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Blackstone and Walpole 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%
67.4%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%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$171,500±$16kHighest
112% above U.S.
$94,191±$21k
17% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$687,100±$20kHighest
107% above U.S.
$404,400±$34k
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,205±$222Highest
56% above U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$8,523Highest
173% above U.S.
$5,703
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
37.8%±9.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone 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%
3.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
34 min
27% above U.S.
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
28.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #107 of 282 in MA #207 of 282 in MA
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole Blackstone-Millville
High school in town Woonsocket High School Walpole High Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
11.3Lowest
13.6
On TownTapestry
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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.