Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Walpole 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 affordable homes ($326k median).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
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.
| Measure | Pawtucket | Walpole | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
26,388Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
40.9±1.2Highest 5% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Pawtucket 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% |
16.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Pawtucket 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% |
67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$8,523Highest 173% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Providence and Pawtucket 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% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3Highest 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Walpole High | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.3Lowest |
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.