Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Willimantic vs Blackstone 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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
North Smithfield has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Willimantic | Blackstone | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
18,096 |
9,255Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield 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% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest 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%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield 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% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield 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±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone 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. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone 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. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and North Smithfield 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 | — | #207 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Blackstone-Millville | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | Blackstone Millville RHS | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.