Places › Rhode Island › Pawtucket

Living in Pawtucket, RI

Suburb in Rhode Island

Pawtucket is a suburb in Rhode Island, home to about 75,000 people, with 1.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Pawtucket a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Easy flying: PVD is 11 mi away
  • Strong healthcare: 8 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Few dog parks: 6 within 9 mi
  • Higher taxes: about $1,669 state income tax per resident, 1.45% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Pawtucket ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
75,000
1.7 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
40°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 42″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$406k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,090/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
102
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,669
State income tax per resident · 1.45% property tax
Safety
1.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
8
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
24%
3 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PVD
11 mi away

Living in Pawtucket: common questions

What is the cost of living in Pawtucket?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $406k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,090 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Pawtucket?

Rhode Island collects about $1,669 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.45% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Pawtucket safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Pawtucket?

Pawtucket has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 42″ of snow a year.

Does Pawtucket get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.21 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Pawtucket?

The nearest major airport is PVD, about 11 mi away.

How Pawtucket scores

Each bar compares Pawtucket with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Dense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Average cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Pawtucket right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.