What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).

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	Hanson	Pawtucket
People
Population	10,660Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Highest 10% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Hanson and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Highest 105% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanson and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Hanson 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	#149 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	14.6Lowest
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.