Compare towns
Pawtucket vs North Providence vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
North Providence has the most people working from home (12.4%).
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 | North Providence | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
34,293Lowest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
| 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 RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% RI: 37.7% |
36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
6.2%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| North Providence 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 22% below RI |
$83,756±$6kHighest 5% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
$355,900±$12kHighest 12% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 10% below RI |
$1,405±$64Highest 5% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 16% below RI |
$4,843Highest about the RI average |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 RI: 48% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48% |
| 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% RI: 11.2% |
9.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% RI: 63.6% |
63.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the RI average |
27 min 7% above RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
12.4%±2.5Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| North Providence 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 | #26 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | North Providence High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
12.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.