Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Gardner vs Pawtucket vs Blackstone
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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Blackstone has the highest household income ($94k).
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 | Gardner | Pawtucket | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
21,148 |
75,893Highest |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Blackstone 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Blackstone 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% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Gardner 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% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Gardner | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Gardner High | William E. Tolman High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
13.5Lowest |
14.6 |
13.6 |
| 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.