What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Pawtucket
People
Population	5,572Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Barre and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barre and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Highest 66% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Barre and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#134 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Quabbin	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.