Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Townsend vs Woonsocket vs Central Falls
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Townsend | Woonsocket | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
9,100Lowest |
43,521 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Pawtucket 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% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Middlesex | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | North Middlesex Regional | Woonsocket High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
13.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.