Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Orange 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 most people working from home (9.2%).
Orange has the most homeowners (70%).
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 | Orange | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
7,573Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
41.8±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket 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% |
20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawtucket and Orange 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.