Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Putnam 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 most kids (22.4% under 18).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
West Warwick has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Putnam | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
9,292Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
| Putnam 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%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Putnam 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% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Putnam 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% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Putnam 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 |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket 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. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pawtucket and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawtucket and Putnam 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Putnam School District | West Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Putnam High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
9.5Lowest |
13.0 |
| 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.