Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Hardwick 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).
Hardwick has the most homeowners (68.2%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketHardwickPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
2,684Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
-10.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
45.3±9.8Highest
16% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Hardwick and Pawtucket 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%
20.5%±5.6Lowest
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%
22.7%±5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
30.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Hardwick and Pawtucket 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.
$75,000±$22kHighest
7% below U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Hardwick 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.
$346,700±$67kHighest
4% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Hardwick and Pawtucket 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.
$1,108±$119Lowest
22% 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
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,400Highest
41% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±13.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Hardwick 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%
11%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
68.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 minHighest
18% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.7%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Pawtucket and Hardwick 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 #163 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Quabbin 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.