Compare towns
Coventry vs Pawtucket vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the oldest population (median age 44).
Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Coventry | Pawtucket | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907 |
75,893Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Pawtucket and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Highest 63% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Coventry 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | William E. Tolman High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.