Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Union vs Pawtucket vs Blackstone
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).
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Union | Pawtucket | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
944Lowest |
75,893Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 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% |
24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union and Blackstone 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Blackstone 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. |
$4,793 54% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union and Blackstone 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% 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. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | — | #35 of 38 in RI | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Union School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | William E. Tolman High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 14.6 |
13.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.