Compare towns
West Warwick vs Woonsocket vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Pawtucket has the most people working from home (9.2%).
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 | Woonsocket | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,173Lowest |
43,521 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
22.2% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.8 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 |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$68,310±$4k 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 |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$325,500±$8k 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 |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,208±$39 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 |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,115 16% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48% |
45.9%±4.4 RI: 48% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
13.3% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
50.1% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
26 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | West Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | West Warwick High School | Woonsocket High School | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.6 |
| 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.