Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Suffield vs Pawtucket vs Central Falls

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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketSuffieldPawtucketCentral Falls
People
Population
43,521
15,702Lowest
75,893Highest
22,701
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3
8% below U.S.
44.5±1.7Highest
14% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
32.5±2.3Lowest
16% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
16.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.4%±1.6
U.S.: 22%
26.1%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Central Falls and Woonsocket 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%
18.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1
U.S.: 17.2%
10.7%±2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
10.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.6%±1.7
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±$5k
24% below U.S.
$119,472±$13kHighest
48% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
$49,285±$8kLowest
39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$407,500±$26kHighest
22% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
$352,100±$30k
6% above U.S.
Suffield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,424±$141Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
$1,200±$75
15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$6,456Highest
107% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
$3,744Lowest
20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
51%±4.6
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.7%±8.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Central Falls and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
24.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
25.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1947
33 yrs older than U.S.
1944Lowest
36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
27 min
4% above U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7
U.S.: 15.1%
18.4%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
5.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #57 of 149 in CT #35 of 38 in RI #38 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Suffield School District Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town Woonsocket High School Suffield High School William E. Tolman High Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
10.9Lowest
14.6
14.6
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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.