Compare towns
Fall River vs Pawtucket vs Woonsocket vs Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Westport has the most homeowners (82.9%).
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 | Fall River | Pawtucket | Woonsocket | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
75,893 |
43,521 |
16,484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
50.7±1.8Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westport and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$96,000±$9kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$521,900±$38kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,425±$356Highest about the U.S. average |
| Westport and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,719Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±19.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westport and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 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 | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | William E. Tolman High | Woonsocket High School | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.6 |
15.2Highest |
11.5 |
| 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.