Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ware vs Pawtucket vs North Providence
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).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).
North Providence has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Ware | Pawtucket | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521 |
10,048Lowest |
75,893Highest |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
42.1±1.9 8% above U.S. |
| Ware and North Providence 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Providence and Ware 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% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Providence and Pawtucket 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$83,756±$6kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$355,900±$12kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,405±$64Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,115 32% above U.S. |
$4,843Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Providence and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ware | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | William E. Tolman High | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
14.6 |
12.8 |
| 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.