Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Upton vs Woonsocket 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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.
| Measure | Pawtucket | Upton | Woonsocket | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
8,189Lowest |
43,521 |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below 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%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Upton 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% |
14.7%±1.4 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest 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% |
5.1%±0.9 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±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$83,756±$6k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below 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. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,405±$64Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% 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% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Woonsocket 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest 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. |
1952 28 yrs older 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. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Blackstone Valley | Woonsocket High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.2Lowest |
15.2Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.