Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Reading vs Woonsocket
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
25,612Lowest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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 15% below U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | #50 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Reading | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Reading Memorial High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
12.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.