Compare towns

Blackstone 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

Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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.

MeasureBlackstonePawtucketWoonsocket
People
Population
9,255Lowest
75,893Highest
43,521
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
Kids under 18
21.8%±4Lowest
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+
18.5%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Blackstone and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
31.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±0.9Lowest
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
$94,191±$21kHighest
17% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$404,400±$34kHighest
22% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
$1,208±$39Highest
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
Pawtucket and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,703Highest
83% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
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
8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967Highest
13 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
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±4.7Highest
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 #207 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI
School district Blackstone-Millville Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town Blackstone Millville RHS William E. Tolman High Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.6Lowest
14.6
15.2Highest
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.