What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).

Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).

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	Canton	Central Falls
People
Population	24,748Highest	22,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±2.3Highest 10% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Central Falls and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Central Falls and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,560Highest 110% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest same as U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#81 of 282 in MA	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Canton High	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	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.