02860 and 02905 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
02860
02905
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs50 · Top 50%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 26%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Schools
20 · Bottom 10%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
99 · Top 16%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 46%
vs54 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 02860 | 02905 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,818 | 25,012 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,539 | $62,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,423 | $37,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,958/sq mi | 6,681/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $336,100 | $371,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,192 | $1,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.8% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.6% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 153 | 363 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7550.0% | 33.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.5" | 47.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.95 | 13.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.4% | 6.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 17.2% | 16.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.1% | 79.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 02860 — Pawtucket, RI · 02905 — Providence, RI · How this is calculated: methodology