Compare towns

Pawtucket vs Sutton vs Providence

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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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.

MeasurePawtucketSuttonProvidence
People
Population
75,893
9,452Lowest
191,767Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
44.3±2.5Highest
14% above U.S.
32.8±0.5Lowest
16% below U.S.
Kids under 18
22.4%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.1%±1
U.S.: 22%
Pawtucket and Providence 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%
18.8%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.6%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
34.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
14.4%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
$147,125±$25kHighest
82% above U.S.
$68,119±$3kLowest
16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$325,500±$8kLowest
about the U.S. average
$523,100±$47kHighest
57% above U.S.
$362,200±$8k
9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
$1,190±$401Lowest
16% below U.S.
$1,408±$42Highest
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,115Lowest
32% above U.S.
$6,763Highest
117% above U.S.
$4,418
42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4
U.S.: 51.1%
48%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Providence and Sutton 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%
5.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
20.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
89.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
41.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947
33 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
3% below U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
Work from home
9.2%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.3%±1.2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #35 of 38 in RI #105 of 282 in MA #36 of 38 in RI
School district Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket Sutton MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative
High school in town William E. Tolman High Sutton High School Classical High School
Students per teacherat that high school
14.6
12.6Lowest
17.2Highest
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.