Compare towns

Dunstable 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

Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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.

MeasureDunstablePawtucketWoonsocket
People
Population
3,408Lowest
75,893Highest
43,521
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2.4Highest
7% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
Kids under 18
22.4%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.4%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
15%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Dunstable and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
62.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.1%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dunstable and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$208,512±$23kHighest
158% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$674,000±$30kHighest
103% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,325±$637Highest
6% below U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
Dunstable and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,020Highest
189% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
60%±77.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunstable and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
0.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer 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
30% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
20%±3.9Highest
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 #4 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI
School district Groton-Dunstable Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town None in town William E. Tolman High Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
14.6Lowest
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.