Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Gardner vs Woonsocket vs 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Warwick has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | Gardner | Woonsocket | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
21,148Lowest |
43,521 |
83,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6kHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$354,600±$5kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,363±$76Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #28 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Gardner | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Gardner High | Woonsocket High School | Pilgrim High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
13.5 |
15.2Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.