Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketTownsendPawtucket
People
Population
43,521
9,100Lowest
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.
40.9±3.3Highest
5% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Townsend and Pawtucket 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%
21%±3.2Lowest
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%
17.1%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Townsend and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4Lowest
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.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
Townsend and Pawtucket 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.
$6,031Highest
93% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Townsend 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%
8.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Townsend and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #136 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket North Middlesex Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School North Middlesex Regional William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
13.1Lowest
14.6
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.