The Town FilesPawtucket, Rhode Island
City in Providence County · population 75,604 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $325,500
- Household income
- $68,310
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 37.1
Pawtucket is a city of 75,604 people in Providence County, Rhode Island. The median home is worth $325,500, below the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). It ranks better transit than 98% of Rhode Island towns, more walkable than 97% of Rhode Island towns, more vibrant than 95% of Rhode Island towns.
How Pawtucket ranks
Percentile among Rhode Island towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Rhode Island towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pawtucket is worth $325,500, below the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $68,310, which is more affordable than 33% of Rhode Island towns. Median rent is $1,208 a month. 50.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pawtucket | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $325,500 | $432,850 |
| Median rent | $1,208 | $1,362 |
| Median household income | $68,310 | $102,946 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 4.3× |
| Homeownership | 50.1% | 75.9% |
| Median year built | 1947 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Pawtucket
| People | Pawtucket | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 43.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 40.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 6.2% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 12.4% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Pawtucket
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.8°F. About 51.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.7 inches of snow (typical Rhode Island town: 36.6 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pawtucket since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical Rhode Island town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on August 18, 2023 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 18, 2012.
Severe weather in Providence County since 1996
Providence County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4765: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4766: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 7, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4753: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| May 12, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4653: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 21, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3563: Hurricane Henri |
Jobs and pay in Providence County
Providence County had 288,107 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,852 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Pawtucket itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Pawtucket
18 public schools with 8,448 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| William E. Tolman High | 9-12 | 1,027 | 15.1 |
| Charles E. Shea High School | 9-12 | 823 | 13.3 |
| Joseph Jenks Middle School | 6-8 | 631 | 14.0 |
| Lyman B. Goff Middle School | 6-8 | 630 | 13.7 |
| Samuel Slater Middle School | 6-8 | 589 | 12.8 |
| Henry J. Winters School | PK-5 | 552 | 14.5 |
| Fallon Memorial School | PK-5 | 549 | 12.2 |
| Potter-Burns School | K-5 | 425 | 13.7 |
| Nathanael Greene School | PK-5 | 404 | 13.5 |
| International Charter School (charter) | K-5 | 382 | 15.3 |
| Cunningham School | K-5 | 375 | 13.4 |
| Blackstone Academy Charter (charter) | 9-12 | 345 | 12.3 |
Towns near Pawtucket
- Central Falls, RI1.5 mi · 22,583 people · home $352,100
- North Seekonk, MA2.3 mi · 2,726 people · home $436,700
- Valley Falls, RI3.5 mi · 12,094 people · home $375,200
- Seekonk, MA3.7 mi · 15,531 people · home $482,800
- Providence, RI4.3 mi · 190,934 people · home $362,200
- North Providence, RI4.4 mi · 34,114 people · home $355,900
- Lincoln, RI4.8 mi · 22,529 people · home $450,600
- East Providence, RI5.2 mi · 47,139 people · home $365,500
Pawtucket questions
Is Pawtucket, Rhode Island a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pawtucket scores better for retirees than 2% of Rhode Island towns and quieter than 3%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Pawtucket?
The median owner-occupied home in Pawtucket is valued at $325,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,310, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,208 a month.
What is the weather like in Pawtucket?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.9 inches of precipitation a year and 42.7 inches of snow.
Does Pawtucket get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pawtucket since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on August 18, 2023. The typical Rhode Island town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)