Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Needham vs Woonsocket vs Central Falls
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).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Needham | Woonsocket | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
32,459 |
43,521 |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Central Falls 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% |
17.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 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. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | #19 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | — | Woonsocket High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
14.6Lowest |
| 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.