What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

Central Falls has the most kids (26.1% 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	Thompson	Central Falls
People
Population	9,337Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+16.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Central Falls and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.	$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,200±$75Highest 15% below U.S.
	Central Falls and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,822Highest 23% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#130 of 149 in CT	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Thompson School District	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.9Lowest	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.