What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

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	Pawtucket	Gardner
People
Population	75,893Highest	21,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Gardner 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 15% below U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Gardner 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	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$4,150Highest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner 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%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1954Highest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner 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	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Gardner
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.5Lowest
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.