Compare towns
Needham 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
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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.
| Measure | Needham | Pawtucket | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459Lowest |
75,893Highest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Needham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 15 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 | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | — | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school 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.