What stands out worked out from the figures below

Central Falls has the most kids (26.1% under 18).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	22,701Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	32.5±2.3Highest 16% below U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Mansfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kHighest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
	Central Falls and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.7%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 38 in RI	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Central Falls Sr High	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.8Lowest
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.