Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Coventry vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawtucket has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Coventry has the most homeowners (82%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Pawtucket | Coventry | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
35,907 |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% RI: +4.3% |
+1.9%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
44±1.1Highest 8% above RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
18.2%±1.8Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
19.2%±1.6Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% RI: 37.7% |
31.2%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.5%±1.2 RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Pawtucket and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
$102,946±$8kHighest 17% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI |
$356,200±$11kHighest 12% below RI |
$352,100±$30k 13% below RI |
| Coventry and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Highest 10% below RI |
$1,206±$155 10% below RI |
$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
| Pawtucket and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 16% below RI |
$5,099Highest 4% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
51.5%±11.1 RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3% RI: 11.2% |
7.4%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% RI: 63.6% |
82%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 15 yrs older than RI |
1973Highest 11 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the RI average |
26 min about the RI average |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
11.3%±2.2Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Coventry 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Coventry | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Coventry High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.