Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Needham vs Woonsocket vs Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Providence has the youngest population (median age 32.8).
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 | Needham | Woonsocket | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
32,459Lowest |
43,521 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% 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. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Woonsocket 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3k 16% 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. |
$362,200±$8k 9% 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. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Providence 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4% 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. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 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 | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Needham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Needham High | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.9Lowest |
15.2 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.