Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Smithfield vs Woonsocket vs Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Smithfield | Woonsocket | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
22,233Lowest |
43,521 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
41.8±2.6Highest about the RI average |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% RI: 37.7% |
40%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 10% below RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,161±$48 13% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 16% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,418 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
| Smithfield 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% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
41.4% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 15 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Providence and Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Smithfield | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Smithfield High School | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.8Lowest |
15.2 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.