Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Lancaster vs Blackstone 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Blackstone has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
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.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Lancaster | Blackstone | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
8,606Lowest |
9,255 |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Blackstone 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. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Blackstone 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Nashoba | Blackstone-Millville | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6Lowest |
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.