Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Ware vs Woonsocket vs Cranston
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Cranston has the highest household income ($90k).
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 | Ware | Woonsocket | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
6,369Lowest |
43,521 |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
39.8±6Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Cranston 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Cranston 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% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston 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. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Cranston 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% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Highest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Cranston 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | — | Woonsocket High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 15.2 |
15.4Highest |
| 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.