Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Sterling 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 renters (49.9% rent).
Sterling has the most homeowners (81.1%).
West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Sterling | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
3,629Lowest |
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. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%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% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest 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. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% 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±$39Lowest 15% 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 | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest 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% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Pawtucket 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Sterling School District | West Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 13.0Lowest |
| 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.