What stands out worked out from the figures below

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	22,701Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.	42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Central Falls and Wakefield 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.	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1956Highest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 38 in RI	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Central Falls Sr High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	10.7Lowest
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.