Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Warwick vs Pawtucket

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Warwick has the most homeowners (73.3%).
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.

MeasureWoonsocketWarwickPawtucket
People
Population
43,521Lowest
83,175Highest
75,893
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
RI: +4.3%
+0.2%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+6.3%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
12% below RI
44.3±1Highest
9% above RI
37.1±0.8
9% below RI
Kids under 18
23.3%±2Highest
RI: 18.8%
17.6%±1.1Lowest
RI: 18.8%
22.4%±1.6
RI: 18.8%
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
RI: 18.7%
21.6%±1.2Highest
RI: 18.7%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8%Lowest
RI: 37.7%
33.7%Highest
RI: 37.7%
22.2%
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Lowest
RI: 8.3%
5.6%±0.7Highest
RI: 8.3%
5.6%±0.8Highest
RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,059±$5kLowest
30% below RI
$88,708±$6kHighest
about the RI average
$68,310±$4k
22% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
23% below RI
$354,600±$5kHighest
12% below RI
$325,500±$8k
19% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
13% below RI
$1,363±$76Highest
about the RI average
$1,208±$39
10% below RI
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
19% below RI
$4,616Highest
6% below RI
$4,115
16% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
RI: 48%
53.1%±6.1Highest
RI: 48%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
RI: 48%
Warwick 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
RI: 11.2%
7.6%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
13.3%
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
73.3%Highest
RI: 63.6%
50.1%
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
10 yrs older than RI
1961Highest
1 yr older than RI
1947Lowest
15 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
15% above RI
25 minLowest
4% below RI
26 min
about the RI average
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
RI: 13%
12.4%±1.2Highest
RI: 13%
9.2%±1.5
RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #28 of 38 in RI #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Warwick Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School Pilgrim High School William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
10.5Lowest
14.6
On TownTapestry
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RI 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.