Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Northbridge 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).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketNorthbridgePawtucket
People
Population
43,521
16,458Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.8±2.6Highest
13% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±2.9Lowest
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%
16.4%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Northbridge 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.3Lowest
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.
$111,319±$19kHighest
38% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$448,600±$15kHighest
35% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,207±$102
15% below U.S.
$1,208±$39Highest
15% below U.S.
Pawtucket and Northbridge 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.
$4,821Highest
55% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
51.2%±9.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Northbridge 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%
7.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1973Highest
7 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
17% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.2%±3.6Highest
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 #226 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Northbridge Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School Northbridge High William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
10.8Lowest
14.6
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.