What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most homeowners (59.8%).

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% 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	Webster	Pawtucket
People
Population	17,748Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Highest about the U.S. average	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Webster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kHighest 10% below U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
	Webster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Webster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%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	1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Webster 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	#271 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Webster	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Bartlett High School	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	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.