What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).

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	Marblehead
People
Population	75,893Highest	20,413Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	22.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Marblehead 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%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.	$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$8,309Highest 166% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.5%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Marblehead and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 38 in RI	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Marblehead
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	10.7Lowest
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.