Pawtucket, RI

Census place 4454640 · pop 75,893

D−40/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in RI
📍 Rhode Island ranks #40 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Mental19.9% · bottom 12%
💡 Did you know?

Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, where Slater Mill launched U.S. water-powered textile manufacturing in 1793.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.26% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%up to 5.99% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health19.9%12

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Homeownership50.1%15

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

50.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity31.1%21

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

31.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher22.2%29

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

22.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults11.6%34

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

11.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Broadband access89.5%34

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden1.26%36

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.26% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult smoking14.6%37

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Commute time26 min39

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Median household income$68,31041

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$68,310 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate13.3%41

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

13.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Housing cost$325,50042

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$325,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,822/mo45

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,822/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Adult obesity35.6%46

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

35.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level90/10048

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4353

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Population growth (5yr)+5.6%67

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Air quality (AQI)County-level38 AQI77

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Pawtucket: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Pawtucket, RI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pawtucket scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is poor mental health. Rhode Island overall ranks #40 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Pawtucket, RI expensive to live in?
Pawtucket has a median home value of $325,500 and typical rent around $1,822/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pawtucket, RI?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (19.9%) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Pawtucket, RI best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, where Slater Mill launched U.S. water-powered textile manufacturing in 1793.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.