What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).

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	Central Falls	Chaplin
People
Population	22,701Highest	2,070Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.	43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Chaplin and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.	$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S.	$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S.
	Chaplin and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.	$4,524Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 38 in RI	—
School district	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Central Falls Sr High	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	7.5Lowest
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.