What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).

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	Dudley	Pawtucket
People
Population	11,929Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Highest 3% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Dudley and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dudley and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Dudley and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dudley and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Dudley 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	#142 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Lowest	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.