Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Methuen 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).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Methuen | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
53,475 |
43,521Lowest |
| 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. |
39.9±1.7Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest 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% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Woonsocket 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% |
31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen 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±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Woonsocket 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Methuen 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Methuen | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Methuen High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
13.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.