Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Willimantic vs West Warwick
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%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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.
| Measure | Pawtucket | Willimantic | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
18,096Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Willimantic 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| 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±$8k about the U.S. average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
| 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 32% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 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.