What stands out worked out from the figures below

Providence has the most people working from home (14.3%).

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

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	Providence	Putnam
People
Population	191,767Highest	9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S.	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Providence and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S.	$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.
	Putnam and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S.	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,418Highest 42% above U.S.	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Providence and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#36 of 38 in RI	#128 of 149 in CT
School district	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative	Putnam School District
High school in town	Classical High School	Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school	17.2Highest	9.5Lowest
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.