Pawtucket, Rhode Island Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Pawtucket, RI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 75,796 | 1,100,398 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 8455.1 | 712.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.74% | 0.50% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 41.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 30,561 | 441,025 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Pawtucket grew by 4.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 75,796 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Pawtucket is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.4% of residents. That is 3.9 points above Rhode Island as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 15,640 20.6% -0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 19,254 25.4% +3.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 15,192 20.0% -0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,940 14.4% -3.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Rhode Island, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.0% of the people living in Pawtucket and men 49.0%.
- Women 51.0% Rhode Island 51.2%
- Men 49.0% Rhode Island 48.8%
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Economy
Pawtucket has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,228 | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.78% | 5.24% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Pawtucket is about 21% lower than in Rhode Island.
Housing
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $250,546 | $360,248 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,208 | $1,341 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 63.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Pawtucket is about 17.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,208 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Pawtucket spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 181 hours, about 7.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.7 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.5 | 43.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 181 | 183 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,613 | $5,668 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 26,559 | 11,274 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,133 | 2,085 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Pawtucket is about the same as in Rhode Island.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Pawtucket has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 33.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.38 | 2.53 |
Health
Pawtucket has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Pawtucket | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.9% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.8% | 14.8% | 19.0% |
Pawtucket, RI Compared With Nearby Cities
Pawtucket, RI is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 75,796 residents against a local median of 47,128. Pawtucket, RI's median home price, at $250,546, runs 18% below the $306,958 typical of the cities around it.
The cities themselves spread $201,648 on median home price, so Pawtucket, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pawtucket, RI has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawtucket, RI | 75,796 | $69,228 #2/4 | $250,546 #3/4 | 21.7 min #3/4 |
| Central Falls, RI | 22,570 | $49,176 | $225,000 | 26.2 min |
| Providence, RI | 191,427 | $67,755 | $426,648 | 20.5 min |
| East Providence, RI | 47,128 | $75,877 | $306,958 | 20.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
How many people live in Pawtucket, Rhode Island?
About 75,796 people live in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 30,561 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Pawtucket, Rhode Island urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Pawtucket, Rhode Island has 8,455 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 98 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Pawtucket, Rhode Island?
The median home costs 3.6 times the median household income ($250,546 against $69,228), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,208 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Pawtucket, Rhode Island?
Unemployment in Pawtucket, Rhode Island is 7.3%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Pawtucket, Rhode Island have a college degree?
20.9% of adults in Pawtucket, Rhode Island hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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