What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lincoln has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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	Lincoln	Cumberland
People
Population	22,864Lowest	36,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.7%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43.7±2.2Highest 8% above RI	43.5±1.2Lowest 7% above RI
	Lincoln and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.5%±3Lowest RI: 18.8%	23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%
	Cumberland and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24%±2.7Highest RI: 18.7%	18.9%±1.7Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Highest RI: 37.7%	44.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.8Highest RI: 8.3%	3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,821±$15kLowest 19% above RI	$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI
	Cumberland and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,600±$17kHighest 11% above RI	$431,000±$15kLowest 7% above RI
	Lincoln and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,468±$152Highest 9% above RI	$1,379±$109Lowest about the RI average
	Lincoln and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,751Lowest 3% below RI	$4,870Highest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.4%±9.8Lowest RI: 48%	47.9%±9.2Highest RI: 48%
	Cumberland and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest RI: 11.2%	3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%	76.3%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 8 yrs newer than RI	1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 5% below RI	26 minHighest 3% above RI
Work from home	13.3%±3.4Lowest RI: 13%	14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13%
	Cumberland and Lincoln 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	#21 of 38 in RI	#18 of 38 in RI
School district	Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town	Lincoln Senior High School	Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	13.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

RI 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.