Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Saugus 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).
Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k median).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 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.

MeasureWoonsocketSaugusPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
28,773Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.5±2.5Highest
14% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.2%±2Lowest
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%
22%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Pawtucket and Saugus 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.
$101,539±$3kHighest
26% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$603,400±$13kHighest
81% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,241±$201Highest
59% above U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$6,049Highest
94% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
53%±9.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Saugus 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%
6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1962Highest
18 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.3%±2.4Highest
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 #194 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Saugus Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School Saugus High William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2
15.5Highest
14.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.