Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Windsor 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 renters (62.8% rent).
Windsor has the most homeowners (96.2%).
North Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($457k median).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketWindsorBlackstoneNorth Smithfield
People
Population
43,521Highest
1,065Lowest
9,255
12,708
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
-7.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.8±6.4
15% above U.S.
43.2±1.7
11% above U.S.
45.5±3.9Highest
17% above U.S.
North Smithfield and Windsor 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%
15.8%±5.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±3.2
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%
18.6%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Smithfield and Windsor 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%
41.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
33.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.7%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.3
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.
$115,563±$10kHighest
43% above U.S.
$94,191±$21k
17% above U.S.
$108,866±$12k
35% above U.S.
Windsor and North Smithfield 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.
$389,700±$32k
17% above 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±$48Lowest
18% 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
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$3,867Lowest
24% 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%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
33.6%±11.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone 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%
3.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
96.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1970
10 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.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
34 min
28% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.2%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
14.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Windsor 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 — #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
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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.