What stands out worked out from the figures below

Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k median).

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).

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	Saugus	Pawtucket
People
Population	28,773Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,539±$3kHighest 26% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,049Highest 94% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saugus and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	14.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#194 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Saugus	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Saugus High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.5Highest	14.6Lowest
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.