Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Willimantic vs Central Falls 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
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
North Smithfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Willimantic | Central Falls | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
18,096 |
22,701 |
12,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3 16% below U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest 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% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8k 39% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 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% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | — | #38 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | Central Falls Sr High | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6 |
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.