Compare towns

Pawtucket vs Upton vs North 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 renters (49.9% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).

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.

MeasurePawtucketUptonNorth Providence
People
Population
75,893Highest
8,189Lowest
34,293
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.1±0.8Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
42.1±1.9
8% above U.S.
Upton and North Providence 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%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Pawtucket 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%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Providence and Upton 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%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
North Providence 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.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
$83,756±$6k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$325,500±$8kLowest
about the U.S. average
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$355,900±$12k
7% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,405±$64Highest
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,115Lowest
32% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$4,843
55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.9%±4.4
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.7%±6.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Upton and Pawtucket 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%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
63.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
27 min
3% above U.S.
Work from home
9.2%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.4%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #35 of 38 in RI #46 of 282 in MA #26 of 38 in RI
School district Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island
High school in town William E. Tolman High Blackstone Valley North Providence High
Students per teacherat that high school
14.6Highest
11.2Lowest
12.8
On TownTapestry
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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.