Compare towns

Erving vs Pawtucket vs Woonsocket vs Wendell

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Erving has the highest household income ($78k).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).

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.

MeasureErvingPawtucketWoonsocketWendell
People
Population
1,703
75,893Highest
43,521
850Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-7.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.3±2.4
11% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
47.1±8.8Highest
21% above U.S.
Wendell and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.3%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
22.4%±1.6
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
16%±3.5Lowest
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+
22.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
22.7%±5.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wendell and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
51.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
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
$77,656±$9kHighest
4% below U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$65,288±$14k
19% below U.S.
Erving and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$271,800±$20kLowest
18% below U.S.
$325,500±$8kHighest
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$290,300±$31k
13% 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
$1,163±$213
18% below U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,239±$519Highest
12% below U.S.
Wendell and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,870Lowest
40% below U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,519Highest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.5%±23
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
55.6%±40.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Wendell and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
21.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1957
23 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
6% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
3.6%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
16.8%±7.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Wendell 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 — #35 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI —
School district Erving Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket New Salem-Wendell
High school in town None 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.