Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Webster vs Lancaster
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).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Webster | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
17,748 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Webster 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% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster 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±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #271 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Webster | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.6Lowest |
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| 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.