Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Westminster | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,374Lowest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Blackstone 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% |
21.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Blackstone 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% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Blackstone 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% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Blackstone 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. |
$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Westminster 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%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 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ashburnham-Westminster | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Oakmont Regional High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
13.6Lowest |
13.6Lowest |
| 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.

