Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Providence vs Ware
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 kids (22.4% under 18).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Providence | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
191,767Highest |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Providence 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3k 16% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Providence 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 |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,418Highest 42% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Ware 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Ware |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Classical High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
17.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.