Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Windsor Locks vs Woonsocket 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
Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Providence has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | Windsor Locks | Woonsocket | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
12,579Lowest |
43,521 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Woonsocket 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3k 16% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks 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 |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,418Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Windsor Locks School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Windsor Locks High School | Woonsocket High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
8.9Lowest |
15.2 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.