Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Sterling vs 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
8,183Lowest |
83,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.3±1 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Sterling 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% |
22.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sterling and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,616 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Sterling 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% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #28 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Wachusett | Warwick |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town | Pilgrim High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.