Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Becket 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).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketBecketPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
1,962Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
49.6±4.7Highest
28% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.3%±3.6Lowest
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%
21.3%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
45.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±2Lowest
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.
$80,417±$29kHighest
about the U.S. average
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Becket 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±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$361,000±$82kHighest
9% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Becket and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,107±$1kHighest
49% above U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
Becket and Pawtucket 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.
$3,047Lowest
about the U.S. average
$4,115Highest
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
100%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Becket 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%
12.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
98.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
36 minHighest
36% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.3%±4.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Becket 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 — #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Central Berkshire Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School None in town William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
—
14.6Lowest
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.