Population 76,672 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pawtucket
Household size in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Pawtucket run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.46 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.3 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.6 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.7 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +2.2 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Pawtucket is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 37.2, a smaller shift than nationally. Only three of the 43 Rhode Island cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 12.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Pawtucket (17.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only two of the 43 Rhode Island cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Pawtucket
Renters in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.3% | 37.0% | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.9% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.6% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.6% | 36.8% | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Pawtucket than nationally: 49.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.7 points, even as the national share rose. Only three of the 43 Rhode Island cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Pawtucket: 8.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Providence area. Vacancy has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1959 | 1957 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1959 | 1958 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1960 | 1959 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Pawtucket is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1948, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1943 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing. Only one other Rhode Island city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $820 | $928 | $941 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $867 | $974 | $988 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $949 | $1,103 | $1,123 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,243 | $1,439 | $1,448 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$423 | +$511 | +$507 | +$606 |
Rent in Pawtucket runs $1,243 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $423 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Pawtucket
Bachelor's degrees in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.3% | 28.5% | 30.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 29.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 32.4% | 34.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 35.2% | 37.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Pawtucket: 22.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.4 points, mirroring the country. Of the 43 Rhode Island cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.6% | 82.1% | 83.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.4% | 83.9% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.3% | 87.5% | 88.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.4% | 88.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Pawtucket never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 7.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Rhode Island city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Pawtucket
| Period | Pawtucket | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Pawtucket: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Pawtucket compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawtucket | 2.55 | 37.7 | 17.4% | 49.6% | 8.0% | 1948 | $1,243 | 22.7% | 82.4% | 7.3% |
| Central Falls | 2.83 | 32.1 | 23.2% | 74.6% | 9.0% | 1950 | $1,189 | 11.2% | 60.6% | 7.5% |
| Rumford | 2.26 | 46.4 | 7.7% | 35.4% | 4.5% | 1955 | $1,144 | 39.7% | 89.8% | 5.7% |
| Valley Falls | 2.64 | 40.9 | 16.0% | 32.9% | 6.0% | 1960 | $1,428 | 27.1% | 86.2% | 3.2% |
| Lincoln | 2.57 | 46.0 | 12.2% | 26.8% | 3.7% | 1969 | $1,210 | 45.9% | 91.5% | 7.0% |
| Seekonk | 2.64 | 45.2 | 8.8% | 13.1% | 6.2% | 1969 | $1,997 | 42.9% | 92.9% | 5.7% |
| Providence area | 2.49 | 41.7 | 12.1% | 36.8% | 7.9% | 1962 | $1,439 | 35.2% | 88.3% | 5.8% |
| East Providence | 2.31 | 43.9 | 12.0% | 45.6% | 7.6% | 1955 | $1,307 | 27.4% | 84.0% | 4.4% |
| North Providence | 2.33 | 39.8 | 13.1% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1960 | $1,438 | 35.1% | 92.7% | 4.6% |
| Attleboro | 2.63 | 40.7 | 13.3% | 33.8% | 7.5% | 1971 | $1,560 | 34.9% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Cumberland | 2.58 | 46.0 | 6.3% | 20.5% | 8.3% | 1982 | $1,457 | 53.8% | 97.2% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dallas, GA · Dayton, OH · Cypress, TX · Conroe, TX · Columbus, GA · Colorado Springs, CO · Clovis, CA · Compton, CA · Columbia, SC · Columbus, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Pawtucket. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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