What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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	Townsend
People
Population	75,893Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.
	Townsend and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Townsend 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%	17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend 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%	35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Townsend 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.	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.
	Townsend and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend 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%	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82%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 minLowest 3% below U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Townsend 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	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	North Middlesex
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.1Lowest
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.