Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Webster 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 most people working from home (9.2%).
Webster has the oldest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Webster | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
12,228Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
37.2±2.1Highest 4% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Webster 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% |
21.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls 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% |
15.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster 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±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$63,837±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Central Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Highest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawtucket and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | — | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | 14.6 |
| 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.