Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Windsor vs Woonsocket 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Windsor | Woonsocket | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893Highest |
1,065Lowest |
43,521 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
44.8±6.4Highest 15% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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% |
18.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
41.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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. |
$115,563±$10kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$389,700±$32kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Central Falls 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. |
— | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% 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. |
$3,867 24% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | — | Woonsocket High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
14.6Lowest |
| 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.