Compare towns
Ayer 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
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Ayer | Pawtucket | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8Highest about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest 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 | $101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 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 | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
14.6 |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.