Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Pelham vs East Providence
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).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
East Providence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Pelham | East Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
14,449Lowest |
47,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
45.1±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| East Providence and Pelham 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% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$75,912±$8k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$365,500±$10k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,288±$75 9% below U.S. |
| Pelham and East Providence 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,545 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and East Providence 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #48 of 120 in NH | #29 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Pelham School District | East Providence |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Pelham High School | East Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2 |
10.4Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.