What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most affordable homes ($326k median).

Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).

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	Sharon
People
Population	75,893Highest	18,574Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	42.5±1Highest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sharon and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Sharon 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.	$191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sharon 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%	3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	39 minHighest 46% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 38 in RI	#23 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Sharon
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Sharon High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.9Lowest
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.