What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).

Pawtucket has the most expensive homes ($326k 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	Putnam	Pawtucket
People
Population	9,292Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Putnam and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket 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.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
	Putnam and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket 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%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	26 minHighest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Putnam 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	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Putnam School District	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Putnam High School	William E. Tolman 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.