Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Brooklyn vs Putnam 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).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Pawtucket has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
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 | Brooklyn | Putnam | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
8,517Lowest |
9,292 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±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% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Brooklyn 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. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Pawtucket and Brooklyn 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. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 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. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 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 |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Brooklyn School District | Putnam School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Putnam High School | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
14.6 |
| 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.