What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Providence has the most people working from home (12.4%).

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	North Providence	Pawtucket
People
Population	34,293Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% RI: +4.3%	+6.3% RI: +4.3%
Median age	42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI	37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI
Kids under 18	17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8%	22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%	14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Highest RI: 37.7%	22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3%	5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3%
	North Providence and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,756±$6kHighest 5% below RI	$68,310±$4kLowest 22% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$355,900±$12kHighest 12% below RI	$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,405±$64Highest 5% above RI	$1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,843Highest about the RI average	$4,115Lowest 16% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.7%±6.2Lowest RI: 48%	45.9%±4.4Highest RI: 48%
	Pawtucket and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Lowest RI: 11.2%	13.3%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Highest RI: 63.6%	50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI	1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 7% above RI	26 minLowest about the RI average
Work from home	12.4%±2.5Highest RI: 13%	9.2%±1.5Lowest RI: 13%
	North Providence 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	#26 of 38 in RI	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	North Providence High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

RI 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.