What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most homeowners (50.1%).

Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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	Lawrence
People
Population	75,893Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Lawrence 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.	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1950Highest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Lawrence 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	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Lawrence
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.6Lowest
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.