Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Killingly vs Sterling vs Woonsocket
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Killingly has the oldest population (median age 39.5).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Killingly | Sterling | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3Highest about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Sterling 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% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Killingly 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 15% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Killingly 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Killingly High School | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| 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.