What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westfield has the most homeowners (68.6%).

Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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	Westfield	Pawtucket
People
Population	40,378Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.8Highest about the U.S. average	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,753±$6kHighest 9% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
	Pawtucket and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,746Highest 52% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westfield and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pawtucket and Westfield 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	#197 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Westfield	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Westfield High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.