Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Heath 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).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketHeathPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
765Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
53.8±11.9Highest
38% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.1%±2.8Lowest
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%
33.6%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.3%±2.8Lowest
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.
$98,750±$23kHighest
22% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$295,000±$45kLowest
11% below U.S.
$325,500±$8kHighest
about the U.S. average
Pawtucket and Woonsocket 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.
—
$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.
$4,438Highest
42% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±100Lowest
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%
6.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
88.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
35 minHighest
32% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
31.7%±17.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
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 — Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School — 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.