Compare towns
Derby 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
Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Derby | Pawtucket | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,487Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 21.1%±3.9Highest 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+ | 35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derby and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,500±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Derby and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$21kLowest 23% 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 | $1,452±$95Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,510Highest 77% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.9%±12.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Derby and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.9%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 | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Derby 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 | #138 of 149 in CT | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Derby School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Derby High School | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
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.