What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).

Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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	Dedham	Pawtucket
People
Population	25,237Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 154% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dedham and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#119 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Dedham	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Dedham High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	14.6Highest
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.