Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Windham vs Blackstone 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Blackstone has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Pawtucket has the shortest commute (26 min average).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketWindhamBlackstonePawtucket
People
Population
43,521
16,038
9,255Lowest
75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
43.2±1.7Highest
11% above U.S.
37.1±0.8
5% below U.S.
Blackstone and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.4%±1.6
U.S.: 22%
Windham 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%
15.5%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Blackstone and Windham 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%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
22.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
1.6%±0.9Lowest
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.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$94,191±$21k
17% above U.S.
$68,310±$4k
15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$404,400±$34k
22% above U.S.
$325,500±$8k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$1,189±$85
16% below U.S.
$1,208±$39
15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,703
83% above U.S.
$4,115
32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±18.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Blackstone and Windham 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%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%
U.S.: 12.5%
13.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
50.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
9.2%±1.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Windham and Blackstone 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 #13 of 120 in NH #207 of 282 in MA #35 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Windham School District Blackstone-Millville Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town Woonsocket High School Windham High School Blackstone Millville RHS William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
12.8Lowest
13.6
14.6
On TownTapestry
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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.