Compare towns
Central Falls vs Pawtucket vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Pawtucket has the most people working from home (9.2%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k 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.
| Measure | Central Falls | Pawtucket | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
37.1±0.8Highest 9% below RI |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
22.4%±1.6Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2 RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
14.5%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
22.2%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
| 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 | $49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
$68,310±$4kHighest 22% below RI |
$61,059±$5k 30% below RI |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30kHighest 13% below RI |
$325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75 11% below RI |
$1,208±$39Highest 10% below RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$4,115Highest 16% below RI |
$3,960 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
13.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
50.1%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1947 15 yrs older than RI |
1952Highest 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% above RI |
26 minLowest about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
9.2%±1.5Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7 RI: 13% |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
14.6Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.