What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	West Warwick	Pawtucket
People
Population	31,173Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI	37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI
Kids under 18	15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8%	22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%	14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.4%Highest RI: 37.7%	22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3%	5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3%
	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±$7kHighest 12% below RI	$68,310±$4kLowest 22% below RI
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,800±$12kHighest 18% below RI	$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,303±$74Highest about the RI average	$1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI
	West Warwick and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,962Highest about the RI average	$4,115Lowest 16% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48%	45.9%±4.4Highest RI: 48%
	Pawtucket and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2%	13.3%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57%Highest RI: 63.6%	50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI	1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the RI average	26 minHighest about the RI average
Work from home	7.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%	9.2%±1.5Highest RI: 13%
	Pawtucket and West 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	#33 of 38 in RI	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	West Warwick	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	West Warwick High School	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.0Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.