Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Providence vs Woonsocket vs Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has the most people working from home (14.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Warwick has the most homeowners (73.3%).
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 | Woonsocket | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
191,767Highest |
43,521Lowest |
83,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+0.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
44.3±1Highest 9% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest 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%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
21.6%±1.2Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% RI: 37.7% |
34.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
33.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.7 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
$68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$88,708±$6kHighest about the RI average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
$362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$354,600±$5k 12% below RI |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 10% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,363±$76 about the RI average |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 16% below RI |
$4,418 10% below RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,616Highest 6% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
53.1%±6.1Highest RI: 48% |
| Warwick and Providence 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% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
7.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% RI: 63.6% |
41.4% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
73.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 15 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1961Highest 1 yr older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the RI average |
25 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
12.4%±1.2 RI: 13% |
| Providence and Warwick 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #28 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Classical High School | Woonsocket High School | Pilgrim High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
17.2Highest |
15.2 |
10.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.