Compare towns
Webster vs Pawtucket vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Pawtucket has the highest household income ($68k).
North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | Webster | Pawtucket | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
75,893Highest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Webster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 4% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | William E. Tolman High | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.