What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lincoln has the most homeowners (72.1%).

Middletown has the most expensive homes ($563k median).

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	Middletown
People
Population	22,864Highest	16,832Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.7%Highest RI: +4.3%	+5.7%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43.7±2.2Lowest 8% above RI	43.8±2Highest 8% above RI
	Middletown and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.5%±3Highest RI: 18.8%	19%±2.7Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Lincoln and Middletown 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%	22.3%±2.6Lowest RI: 18.7%
	Lincoln and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%	47.4%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.8Lowest RI: 8.3%	6.9%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3%
	Middletown and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,821±$15kHighest 19% above RI	$101,948±$6kLowest 16% above RI
	Lincoln and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,600±$17kLowest 11% above RI	$563,300±$46kHighest 39% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,468±$152Lowest 9% above RI	$1,990±$170Highest 48% above RI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,751Lowest 3% below RI	$6,153Highest 26% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.4%±9.8Lowest RI: 48%	46.9%±6.3Highest RI: 48%
	Middletown and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest RI: 11.2%	8.5%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.1%Highest RI: 63.6%	57.9%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI	1969Lowest 7 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 5% below RI	20 minLowest 22% below RI
Work from home	13.3%±3.4Highest RI: 13%	10.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13%
	Lincoln and Middletown 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	#23 of 38 in RI
School district	Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy	Middletown
High school in town	Lincoln Senior High School	Middletown High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	10.7Lowest
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.