Census Data for Pawtucket
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Pawtucket a population of 71,903 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Pawtucket a population of 71,148 people.
The city of Pawtucket is located in Providence County. The 2010 Census gave Providence County; a population of 626,667 people. This means that Pawtucket had 11.35% of the county's total population, making it Providence's 3rd most populous community.
At the same time, Rhode Island had a population of 1,052,567 people, meaning that Pawtucket had 6.76% of the total population of Rhode Island - making it the state's 4th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Pawtucket has a total area of 8.97 square miles [23.2 km²]. Of this total, 8.68 square miles [22.5 km²] is land, with the balance (3.23%) being water (0.29 square miles [0.8 km²]).
Providence County has a land area of 409.5 square miles [1,060.6 km²]. At 8.68 square miles [22.5 km²], Pawtucket has 2.12% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Pawtucket, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Pawtucket reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Pawtucket might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 41° 52' 27" (or 41.87°)
- Lon: -71° 22' 32" (or -71.38°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Pawtucket had 32,055 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 71,148 people, this averages 2.22 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Pawtucket had a land area of 8.68 square miles [22.5 km²]. This translates to 3,572 Housing Units per square mile [1,379 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Pawtucket had 31,819 Housing Units, a population of 72,958 people and a land area of 8.74 square miles [22.6 km²]. This gives a density of 2.29 people per Housing Unit and 3,537 Housing Units per square mile [1,365 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Pawtucket and you need to be careful when comparing between the censuses. More information about the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Providence County ...
The community of Pawtucket is located in Providence County<4>.
The county had a population of 626,667 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 71,148 people, Pawtucket represented 11.35% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Pawtucket has a population density of 7,930 people per square mile [3,061 people/km²], Providence County averages 1,530 people per square mile [590 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Providence County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Pawtucket, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Pawtucket. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Pawtucket or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Pawtucket, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Pawtucket.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 41.874368° (or 41°52'27" N)
- Lon: -71.375678° (or -71°22'32" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 41.875499° (or 41°52'31" N)
- Lon: -71.375981° (or -71°22'33" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 420.5 feet to the south<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#1219816) to Pawtucket. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Pawtucket. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 41.874273° (or 41°52'27" N)
- Lon: -71.374425° (or -71°22'27" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 341.9 feet to the west<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Pawtucket. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Pawtucket.
Miscellaneous Information for Pawtucket ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Providence County or the city of Pawtucket:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 44 (Rhode Island)
- County Code: 007 (Providence County)
- Place Code: 54640 (Pawtucket)
- State & County Code: 44/007 (Rhode Island / Providence County)
- State & Place Code: 44/54640 (Rhode Island / Pawtucket)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Pawtucket is located in Census Region #1 (the Northeast Region) and Division #1 (the New England Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Pawtucket.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Pawtucket: www.pawtucketri.com/
The official website for State of Rhode Island: https://www.ri.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of the state's counties, including Providence, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 191 degrees and a distance of 420.5 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 84 degrees and a distance of 341.9 feet. |