Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Franklin vs West Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawtucket has the most people working from home (9.2%).
Franklin has the most homeowners (84.1%).
West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Franklin | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
2,004Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$105,000±$10kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$330,800±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| West Warwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pawtucket and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawtucket and West Warwick 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 | — | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Franklin School District | West Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 13.0Lowest |
| 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.