What stands out worked out from the figures below

Glocester has the most expensive homes ($397k median).

Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).

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	Glocester	Beacon Falls
People
Population	10,221Highest	6,147Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.	48.4±3.8Lowest 24% above U.S.
	Glocester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Glocester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.2%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Beacon Falls and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Beacon Falls and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S.	$101,516±$42kLowest 26% above U.S.
	Glocester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,500±$28kHighest 19% above U.S.	$350,300±$34kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Glocester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S.
	Beacon Falls and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S.	$6,534Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.7%±30.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	33 minLowest 24% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Beacon Falls and Glocester 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	#12 of 38 in RI	#77 of 149 in CT
School district	Foster-Glocester · Glocester	Regional School District 16
High school in town	Ponaganset High School	Woodland Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.2Lowest
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.