What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).

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	Pawtucket	Athol
People
Population	75,893Highest	12,011Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.	$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S.
	Athol and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average	$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.	$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Athol and Pawtucket 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	#35 of 38 in RI	#256 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Athol-Royalston
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.6Lowest
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.