Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Sterling 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).
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Sterling | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
8,183Lowest |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest 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% |
22.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling 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% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±6.2Highest 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Wachusett | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6Lowest |
| 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.