What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).

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	Putnam	Central Falls
People
Population	9,292Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+16.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Central Falls and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,200±$75Highest 15% below U.S.
	Central Falls and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Highest 24% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Putnam and Central Falls 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	#128 of 149 in CT	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Putnam School District	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Putnam High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	14.6Highest
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.