Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Middleton vs Pawtucket vs Central Falls
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Middleton | Pawtucket | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
9,816Lowest |
75,893Highest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
43.1±2Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket 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% |
18.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleton and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7 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±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Middleton and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middleton 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Middleton | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | William E. Tolman High | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6Lowest |
14.6Lowest |
| 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.