What stands out worked out from the figures below

Charlestown has the most affordable homes ($526k median).

Jamestown has the most expensive homes ($842k median).

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	Charlestown	Jamestown
People
Population	8,051Highest	5,534Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+2.8%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	53.3±2.1Lowest 31% above RI	58.2±2.6Highest 43% above RI
Kids under 18	13%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8%	14.9%±4.1Highest RI: 18.8%
	Jamestown and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.1%±3.5Lowest RI: 18.7%	38.4%±7Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Lowest RI: 37.7%	69.1%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±2.7Highest RI: 8.3%	2.2%±1.4Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,404±$10kLowest 25% above RI	$140,625±$42kHighest 60% above RI
	Jamestown and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$525,500±$57kLowest 30% above RI	$842,400±$59kHighest 108% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,374±$134Lowest about the RI average	$1,629±$916Highest 21% above RI
	Jamestown and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,365Lowest 31% below RI	$5,047Highest 3% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.7%±20.6Highest RI: 48%	50.7%±27.8Lowest RI: 48%
	Charlestown and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.2%Highest RI: 11.2%	3.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92%Highest RI: 63.6%	85.8%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 18 yrs newer than RI	1975Lowest 13 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 9% above RI	26 minLowest about the RI average
Work from home	18.9%±3.9Lowest RI: 13%	20.6%±7.2Highest RI: 13%
	Jamestown and Charlestown 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	#10 of 38 in RI	#2 of 38 in RI
School district	Chariho	Jamestown
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.