What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).

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	Salem
People
Population	75,893Highest	30,964Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Salem 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.	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket and Salem 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%	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 38 in RI	#38 of 120 in NH
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Salem School District
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Salem High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.2Lowest
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.