Compare towns
North Providence vs Woonsocket vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Providence has the most people working from home (12.4%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | North Providence | Woonsocket | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,293Lowest |
43,521 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
22.2% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.8 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 |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,900±$12kHighest 12% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,405±$64Highest 5% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,208±$39 10% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Highest about the RI average |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,115 16% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±6.2Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48% |
45.9%±4.4 RI: 48% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
13.3% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
50.1% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% above RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
26 minLowest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±2.5Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
9.2%±1.5 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | North Providence High | Woonsocket High School | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.