Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Athol vs Pawtucket vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most homeowners (63.7%).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Woonsocket | Athol | Pawtucket | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
8,801Lowest |
75,893Highest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
36.8±3.3 5% below U.S. |
37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athol and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Highest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Pawtucket 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | William E. Tolman High | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6Lowest |
14.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.