Compare towns
Athol vs Pawtucket vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Athol | Pawtucket | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Athol and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Pawtucket 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Athol High | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.6 |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.