Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Needham vs Woonsocket vs West 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 the oldest housing (typical home built 1947).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
32,459 |
43,521 |
31,173Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
| Needham and West Warwick 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest 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%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Needham 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% |
26.4% 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% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% 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. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% 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% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 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% |
7.2%±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 | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Needham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | West Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Needham High | Woonsocket High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
13.0 |
| 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.