What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most homeowners (50.1%).

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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	Central Falls
People
Population	75,893Highest	22,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	37.1±0.8Highest 9% below RI	32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Lowest RI: 18.8%	26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8%
	Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Highest RI: 18.7%	10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Highest RI: 37.7%	10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3%	4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kHighest 22% below RI	$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI	$352,100±$30kHighest 13% below RI
	Central Falls and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Highest 10% below RI	$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI
	Pawtucket and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Highest 16% below RI	$3,744Lowest 24% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48%	56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48%
	Central Falls 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 RI: 11.2%	24.6%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Highest RI: 63.6%	25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 15 yrs older than RI	1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the RI average	27 minHighest 7% above RI
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Highest RI: 13%	5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 38 in RI	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6	14.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.