What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	75,893Highest	25,358Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kHighest 10% below U.S.
	Mansfield 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±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average
	Mansfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 38 in RI	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.8Lowest
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.