Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Smithfield vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Smithfield | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
22,233Lowest |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
41.8±2.6Highest about the RI average |
37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
22.4%±1.6 RI: 18.8% |
| 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 RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40%Highest RI: 37.7% |
22.2% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
$68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
$325,500±$8k 19% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 13% below RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,208±$39Highest 10% below RI |
| Pawtucket and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
$4,115 16% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield 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 RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
13.3% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
50.1% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 10 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
26 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Smithfield | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Smithfield High School | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.