Why Rhode Island's Fastest-Growing Town Still Feels Like a Secret

It's easy to overlook growth in small places, especially in the smallest state in the U.S. But that would be a major mistake, as you would miss out on learning about the rich history and beautiful art of Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

This community is currently the fastest-growing city in Rhode Island, while still having a population under 50,000. It's been leading the way in the state thanks to its affordable housing, job opportunities, and unique culture. For example, while many associate French culture in America with the bayous of Louisiana, Woonsocket has had a long, proud history of French Canadian immigration, which still shapes it to this day through its churches, art, and museums. It's truly an underrated New England gem.

Here's why Rhode Island's fastest-growing town still feels like a secret.

Growth

Woonsocket has always skirted the line between a small town and a city, but now it is inching closer to that 50,000 population mark than ever before. In 2010, Woonsocket had a population of 41,186. That number increased to 43,240 by 2020 and then again to 44,508 people by 2024, giving it a growth rate of 3.0%.

What's behind this growth? One is the affordability of housing here, compared to its closest city: Providence. The average apartment rent here is $1,750 per month compared to $2,111 in Providence. The median home price in Woonstock has been falling slightly over the year, currently sitting at just above $372,000. Providence's media home price has been on the increase, sitting at nearly $417,000.

One reason behind this affordability is the sturdy structures in Woonstock. As we will discuss later, Woodstock has a history of textile mills and industry, and as a result, has many brick buildings around town. These buildings have since been converted into office spaces, homes, and mixed-use developments, which brings down the overall cost of living.

The other factor at play is employment. Although manufacturing did take a hit in Woonstock, it still remains as a major employer, employing 2,824 people in Woonstock alongside Health Care & Social Assistance, which employs 3,377 people. The town has plenty of office and administrative support positions, along with sales and production. With these job opportunities and affordable housing compared to Providence, many young families are moving here. In fact, 23.2% of the population is under 18 years old, and 14.1% are senior citizens.

History

Woonstocket has a history of attracting different sorts of people, from industrialists to French Canadians.

Roger Williams purchased this land in modern Northern Rhode Island from the Coweset and Nipmucks in 1661, but settlers didn't put down roots until the 1820s. In 1867, three separate villages of Woonsocket Falls, Social, and Jenckesville were combined into one to make Woonsocket. Thanks to the Blackstone River providing natural power, textile mills sprang up in Woonsocket. With so many job opportunities, French Canadians traveled south to this town. They spoke a dialect of French called New England French, and even to this day, many residents can still trace their lineage back to these French Canadian immigrants.'

Throughout the town, there are historic mills, mansions, and even an 18th-century milestone to be discovered. The 1761 Milestone was used to mark a junction of a colonial-era highway from Boston to Connecticut. It was rediscovered in the late 1800s, restored, and placed in its original spot on Main Street. Many of the old mills have been converted into apartment buildings, such as the 1827 Hanora Mills, which is today the Hanora Lippitt Mills Apartments.

French residents worked together and maintained close bonds, as can be seen at the L'Union Saint Jean-Baptist d'Amerique, a 1926 fraternal society built in the Classical Revival style, or the 1873 Gothic Catholic church called L'Eglise du Prexieux Sang.

Another way you can learn about these immigrant workers is at the Museum of Work and Culture, which recreates the journey of these French Canadians from a farmhouse in Quebec to American factories.

Natural Attractions

For residents or visitors who need to get out and stretch their legs, Woonsocket has several picturesque small-town parks. Cold Spring Park features an amphitheater, walking paths, a tennis court, a sledding hill during the winter, and a boat launch onto the Blackstone River. This little park is also home to the Blackstone River Boat Tours.

On this river tour, you'll sit in a 40-passenger covered boat, which will go for a 50-minute journey down the river, while a knowledgeable tour guide offers facts about the Blackstone River Valley. The company has the Samuel Slater Canal Boat for tours as well. This boat is a dying breed, as they were only used from 1828 to 1848 on the Blackstone River and Blackstone Canal. If you prefer to get out onto the water yourself, there are guided kayak group tours with Blackstone River Expeditions.

The quiet Globe Park has a walking trail around its small pond, home to fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, and the Dionne Track has cross-country running trails in the woods for those who like to work up a sweat.

Arts/shops/restaurants

Within Woonsocket, you can find art you would expect to see in Europe, not a small New England town. That art is within the St. Ann's Arts and Cultural Center. This former 1913 Renaissance-style church has the largest collection of fresco paintings in North America. Guido Nincheri, an Italian-Canadian painter who was called the Michelangelo of Montreal, was commissioned to paint these frescoes using Woonsocket residents as models. Today, their faces decorate the walls, vaults, and ceilings of this chapel. Some have called it the Sistine Chapel of America.

This isn't the only cultural wonder in Woonsocket. The classy 1923 Stadium Theatre still rolls out the red carpet with comedy shows, theatrical productions, and musicians, and the Center for the Arts and Spirituality, housed with the First Universalist Church, offers art classes, music classes, yoga, tai chi, medicine, and more.

Woonsocket residents can discover all varieties of antiques and treasures at the town's flea markets and antique shops, from Timeless Antiques & Collectibles to Main Street Antiques & Collectibles and the Bargain Fare Flea Market.

For restaurants, Woonsocket's top-rated place to eat is Ciro's Tavern, Brunch & Patio, which has a great menu of seafood and beer to try. Foodies can grab Italian fare at Savini's Pomodoro, or snack on chips and guacamole at the Guacamoles Maria Cocina Mexicana restaurant.

The Sistine Chapel of America

The real treasure of America isn't found in buildings, museums, or land, but rather in the people who live there. That's what makes St. Ann's Arts and Cultural Center so profound, as its frescoes memorialize the faces of real people from Woonsocket. The French Canadians who came here in search of a new life continue to echo in the 2020s as residents from Providence and other parts of New England come here for a fresh start. Even if you're just coming in for a visit, it's worth exploring this artistic, fast-growing town.