Compare towns
Providence vs Warwick vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Warwick has the most homeowners (73.3%).
Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Providence | Warwick | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
83,175 |
43,521Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
44.3±1Highest 9% above RI |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.6%±1.2Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
33.7% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.7 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
$88,708±$6kHighest about the RI average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$354,600±$5k 12% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,363±$76 about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 10% below RI |
$4,616Highest 6% below RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
53.1%±6.1Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Warwick and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
7.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4% RI: 63.6% |
73.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1961Highest 1 yr older than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
12.4%±1.2 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Providence and 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #28 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Pilgrim High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
10.5Lowest |
15.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.