Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Athol 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
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
12,011Lowest |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest 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±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
| Athol and Pawtucket 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. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 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 |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Athol High | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.6Lowest |
14.6 |
| 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.