Compare towns
Central Falls vs Scituate vs Valley Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Scituate has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Valley Falls has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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.
| Measure | Central Falls | Scituate | Valley Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701Highest |
10,517Lowest |
12,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+4.7% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
41.7±3.5 about the RI average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
25%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
16.6%±2.4 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
34.7%Highest RI: 37.7% |
29.1% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Central Falls and Scituate 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 44% below RI |
$112,315±$23kHighest 28% above RI |
$92,901±$17k 6% above RI |
| Scituate and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
$375,200±$19k 7% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
$1,362±$142 about the RI average |
| Scituate and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$5,265Highest 7% above RI |
$4,397 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9Highest RI: 48% |
46.4%±17.7Lowest RI: 48% |
| Scituate and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
5% RI: 11.2% |
4.1%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
67.8% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1966Highest 4 yrs newer than RI |
1963 1 yr newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% above RI |
31 minHighest 20% above RI |
23 minLowest 9% below RI |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1Highest RI: 13% |
9.9%±4.4 RI: 13% |
| Scituate and Valley Falls 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Scituate | — |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | Scituate High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.