What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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	Thompson
People
Population	75,893Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Thompson 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%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Thompson and Pawtucket 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	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Thompson School District
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	7.9Lowest
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.