What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).

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	Northbridge	Pawtucket
People
Population	16,458Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Northbridge and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Highest 55% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northbridge and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#226 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Northbridge	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Northbridge High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	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.