Compare towns
Devens vs Pawtucket vs Woonsocket vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Devens | Pawtucket | Woonsocket | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
49±3.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bernardston and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2 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%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$81,940±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Devens and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,516 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Bernardston 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 | — | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.