What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).

West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pawtucket	West Warwick
People
Population	75,893Highest	31,173Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3%	+6.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI	42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8%	15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%	20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7%	26.4%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3%	5.7%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3%
	West Warwick 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 22% below RI	$77,608±$7kHighest 12% below RI
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI	$330,800±$12kHighest 18% below RI
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI	$1,303±$74Highest about the RI average
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 16% below RI	$4,962Highest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Highest RI: 48%	43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48%
	Pawtucket and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Highest RI: 11.2%	9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%	57%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI	1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the RI average	25 minLowest about the RI average
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Highest RI: 13%	7.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%
	Pawtucket and West Warwick 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	#33 of 38 in RI
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	West Warwick
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

RI 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.