Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Windham vs North Smithfield 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Windham | North Smithfield | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
16,038 |
12,708 |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% 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%±2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Windham 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Blackstone 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #13 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Windham School District | North Smithfield | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Windham High School | North Smitfield HS | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
13.6 |
| 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.