Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Glocester vs Pawtucket

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Glocester has the most homeowners (91%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketGlocesterPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
10,221Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
RI: +4.3%
+2.3%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+6.3%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
12% below RI
50.8±4.3Highest
25% above RI
37.1±0.8
9% below RI
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
RI: 18.8%
19.8%±4.3Lowest
RI: 18.8%
22.4%±1.6
RI: 18.8%
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
RI: 18.7%
22.2%±3.4Highest
RI: 18.7%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
RI: 37.7%
35.7%Highest
RI: 37.7%
22.2%
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
RI: 8.3%
4.3%±1.9Lowest
RI: 8.3%
5.6%±0.8Highest
RI: 8.3%
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
30% below RI
$113,508±$7kHighest
29% above RI
$68,310±$4k
22% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
23% below RI
$396,500±$28kHighest
about the RI average
$325,500±$8k
19% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
13% below RI
$1,417±$627Highest
6% above RI
$1,208±$39
10% below RI
Glocester and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
19% below RI
$5,248Highest
7% above RI
$4,115
16% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
RI: 48%
64.5%±24Highest
RI: 48%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
RI: 48%
Glocester 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
RI: 11.2%
4.8%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
13.3%
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
91%Highest
RI: 63.6%
50.1%
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
10 yrs older than RI
1975Highest
13 yrs newer than RI
1947Lowest
15 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
15% above RI
34 minHighest
35% above RI
26 minLowest
about the RI average
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
RI: 13%
13.1%±4.7Highest
RI: 13%
9.2%±1.5
RI: 13%
Glocester 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 #12 of 38 in RI #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Foster-Glocester · Glocester Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School Ponaganset High School William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.8Lowest
14.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

RI 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.