What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cumberland has the most homeowners (76.3%).

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

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	Cumberland	Central Falls
People
Population	36,820Highest	22,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI	32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%	26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8%
	Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±1.7Highest RI: 18.7%	10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest RI: 37.7%	10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3%	4.6%±1.7Highest RI: 8.3%
	Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI	$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,000±$15kHighest 7% above RI	$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$109Highest about the RI average	$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI
	Cumberland and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,870Highest about the RI average	$3,744Lowest 24% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.9%±9.2Lowest RI: 48%	56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48%
	Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2%	24.6%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.3%Highest RI: 63.6%	25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI	1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% above RI	27 minHighest 7% above RI
Work from home	14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13%	5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#18 of 38 in RI	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Cumberland High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.