Compare towns
West Warwick vs Needham vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Pawtucket has the youngest population (median age 37.1).
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 | West Warwick | Needham | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,173Lowest |
32,459 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Needham and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,962 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 38 in RI | #19 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | West Warwick | Needham | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | West Warwick High School | Needham High | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
11.9Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.