What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).

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	Dighton	Pawtucket
People
Population	8,193Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.7±2.9Highest 10% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dighton and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,646±$19kHighest 69% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,900±$47kHighest 51% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,405±$192Highest about the U.S. average	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Dighton and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 107% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	11%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dighton and Pawtucket 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	#85 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	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.