What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).

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	Windham
People
Population	75,893Highest	23,961Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S.	33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Pawtucket and Windham 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%	22.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S.	$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average	$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Windham 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.	$4,633Highest 49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1956Highest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Windham 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	#143 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town	William E. Tolman High	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	9.8Lowest
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.